"Mother of all gold medals" out of Malaysia's grasp

The score after regulation play was 1-1.

It was also sweet revenge for the Indonesians who also lost 3-4 to Malaysia in a penalty shootout in the final at the last edition of the Games in Indonesia in 2011.

Yohanes Ferinando Pahabol scored the winning goal for the Indonesians for a shot at the "mother of gold medals in the SEA Games" when the shootout was tied at 3-3.

The failure of A. Thamil Arasu and Shahrul Mohd Saad to convert their penalties buried Malaysia although Nazmi Faiz Mansor, Mohamad Fadhli Mohd Shas and Mohamad Rozaimi Ab Rahim saved Malaysia when they were down 0-2 early in the shootout.

The match had got off to a slow start with both sides exercising caution but Malaysia had a chance at goal in the 10th minute only to see Thamil Arasu's piledriver from outside the penalty box caught by Indonesian keeper and team captain Kurnia Meiga Hermansyah.

The Indonesians also came close to be in the lead in the 25th minute but Yandi Sofyan Munawar's shot sailed over the Malaysian goal guarded by Mohd Izham Tarmizi Roslan.

But five minutes later, disaster struck for Malaysia when Indonesian midlfielder Bayu Gatra Sanggiawan fired home during a goal mouth melee.

Malaysia had a golden chance to level the score in injury time of the first half but Mohamad Fadhli Mohd Shah was slow to capitalise on a free kick taken by team captain Mohd Irfan Fazail.

On resumption, Indonesia upped the ante by trying to go for the kill and came close to increasing their lead in the 68th minute but Yandi Sofyan's shot was saved by the Malaysian keeper.

But the Malaysians showed they were made of much sterner stuff and continued to pile on the pressure on the Indonesian goal.

Another chance came in the 80th minute but D. Saarvindran's attempt was again denied by the Indonesian keeper.

Malaysia's persistence, however, paid off when Thamil Arasu equalised in the 84th minute forcing extra time which did not result in a winner.

At the post-match press conference, Malaysia's coach Datuk Ong Kim Swee praised his boys for their never say die attitude but admitted "today was not their day".

"The match went down to the wire but Indonesia prevailed today," he said.