SURABAYA (31 July 2018) – A double from nippy striker Amiruddin Bagus Alfikri were good enough to sink Myanmar 2-1 as the hosts remained at the top of Group A of the AFF Under-16 Championship here at the Delta Sidoarjo Stadium.
In the match that saw close to 9,000 fans coming in to support the home team, Indonesia very much picked up from where they last left off after their thumping win over the Philippines in the opener two days earlier.
“It is another three points in the bag,” said Indonesian head coach Fakhri Hussaini. “Matches against Myanmar are always close and robust. It is expected.”
Myanmar were their usual quick with the offensive play but it was to be Indonesia who went ahead in the eighth minute when some hesitant defending allowed Bagus to score from close.
While the fight back came almost immediately from Myanmar, luck seems to be evading them as an exquisite freekick from Aung Ko Oo was parried over while some time later a mad scramble in front of goal, just could not find the final touch from La Min Htwe.
But the two continuing misses from Min Htwe and then Khun Kyaw Zin Hein that rocked the Indonesian crossbar, allowed the latter to staged a quick counter attack.
The resulting solo run from Bagus was just too much for the Myanmar backline of Thaw Zon Htet and Nan Lin Htet to handle as he slotted past keeper Nay Lin Htet for the second time on the night.
The game got physical along with the handful of changes into the second half as Indonesia look to protect their advantage while Myanmar were desperately looking for their first goal of the game to at least draw the tie.
A yellow card on Indonesian keeper Ermando Sutaryadi in the 72nd minute gave Myanmar a glimmer of hope with a penalty that was converted by Zaw Win Thein.
But that was to be their only goal of the game as Min Htwe came close a few times only to be denied by a recovering defender.
In the meantime, defending champions Vietnam put up a better performance in their second match of Group A to thrash Timor Leste 4-0- at the Joko Samudro Stadium.
After struggling to put up a semblance of confidence against Cambodia in their opener two days earlier where it needed a penalty to give them the full points, this time round Vietnam were more fluid in the attack as they struck two goals in each half.
“It was a very meaningful win for us and while I am generally satisfied with the performance of the players, I thought that they could have done better with the finishing, considering the chances that was created,” said Vietnam head coach Vu Hong Viet.
Vietnam were under pressure to show that they are a compact side and they did not take too long to score the first goal of the game through Ding Thanh Trung early in the 15th minute before Trinh Van Chung added the second goal in the 31st minute.
Timor Leste tried to regroup and stem the tide but Vietnam were just too slick on the offensive play as they went on to add two more goals – through substitute Doan Chi Bao in the 71st minute and for Thanh Trung to collect his second of the afternoon just four minutes later.
In the meantime in an earlier match at the Delta Sidoarjo Stadium, Cambodia came back from a goal down to overwhelm the Philippines 5-1.
The Philippines tried to impress at the start with their first goal of the competition in the 11th minute when Renard Lopez Yu struck home from the edge of the Cambodian box.
But that was to be their only bright spark as they struggled with inexperience soon after while Cambodia were just playing at a better level.
“We played better in the second half than the first,” said Cambodian head coach Lee Tae Hoon.
“We still have three more games to go, so this win is crucial for the remainder of our campaign.”
Cambodia, who put up an excellent performance in spite of their loss to Vietnam in their first game, took some time to settle down and that early Philippines goal sprung them to action.
Lin Daradevid headed home the corner from Met Samel in the 16th minute to give Cambodia the equaliser as the latter then gave his team a 2-0 lead at the half with a 28th minute free-kick that Philippines keeper Sirius Cabanlet failed to save.
The Philippines attempted to get back into the game after the break but Bunthoeun Bunnarong then nodded home the third goal for Cambodia in the 52nd minute as Ky Rina then grabbed the fourth goal of the game on 72 minute.
Bunthoeun put the finishing touch with the fifth goal of the game right at the end.
RESULTS
31 July 2018 – Group A
Vietnam 4 Timor Leste 0
Cambodia 5 Philippines 1
Myanmar 1 Indonesia 2
FIXTURES
1 Aug 2018 – Group B
All matches at the Joko Samudro Stadium
1500: Brunei DS vs Thailand
1830: Singapore vs Laos
