TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian national team clinched its first victory in the 2026 ASEAN U19 Boys Championship (AFF U19 Cup) after silencing Myanmar 3-0 at the North Sumatra Main Stadium, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra, on Monday night, Indonesian time.
As reported by ANTARA, Arkhan Kaka scored Indonesia's first goal in the 39th minute, using a pass from the right side of the field. Despite being guarded by the opposing defender, the player wearing the number 8 jersey managed to score.
Meanwhile, Indonesia's second goal came in the 77th minute by Dimas Wicaksono. Dimas found the back of the net, capitalizing on the goalkeeper's mistake when he failed to secure a pass from a Myanmar defender.
Indonesia's third goal was scored again by Dimas Wicaksono in the 86th minute, sealing a big win for the hosts in the opening match of Group A of the 2026 AFF U19 Cup.
Following the match, Indonesian national team coach Nova Arianto expressed his gratitude for the results achieved by his players. From the beginning, he made it clear to all the players that the first match would be difficult. The important thing was for everyone to play calmly and execute the plans they had drawn up.
"But honestly, we have to admit that the boys' performance wasn't as expected. But we understand that this is their first international match. They're still nervous, and we hope they can learn from this result and improve in the future," he said.
Meanwhile, Myanmar coach Ryuji Sueoka said his players played their best to achieve the best possible result, even though it was not as expected. Despite the defeat, he still expressed his appreciation to all the players who had worked hard to match the host's game.
"We feel the atmosphere in this stadium has a significant impact on the children's play. We will evaluate this so we can improve in future matches," he said.
Earlier in the afternoon, in the opening match of Group A of the 2026 AFF U19 Cup at the same venue, Vietnam faced Timor Leste.
Vietnam also won the match, refereed by Khonwai Alongkorn from Thailand, 3-0. Hoang Chong Hau scored Vietnam's three goals in the 2nd, 83rd, and 90th minutes.
With this result, Vietnam and Indonesia are currently leading Group A with three points and a goal difference of +3. Myanmar and Timor Leste occupy third and fourth place, each with zero points.
Read: Indonesia's 23-Man FIFA Matchday Squad: Player List
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