SEA Games: U-23 squad return empty-handed after shootout loss to Indonesia

HANOI: The national under-23 football squad will return home empty-handed after losing 3-4 to Indonesia via penalty shootout in the bronze medal match of the 31st SEA Games at the My Dinh National Stadium here today.

The score had ended 1-1 in regulation time after Ronaldo Joybera R Junior and forward Muhammad Hadi Fayyadh Abdul Razak scored for Indonesia and Malaysia respectively.

However, in the shootout, Indonesia's goalkeeper Ernando Ari Sutaryadi emerged hero after saving two of Malaysia's spot-kicks, taken by Muhammad Hadi and Luqman Hakim Shamsudin, while Indonesia also missed one when Asnawi Mangkualam Bahar hit the bar.

This was the second consecutive loss for Brad Maloney's charges in this edition of the biennial games after their heartbreaking semifinal defeat in extra time against Vietnam on Thursday.

Playing in cold rainy weather, the national youngsters found it difficult to create chances in the first half while Indonesia, coached by South Korean Shin Tae Yong were the more dangerous side, keeping national custodian Muhammad Rahadiazli Rahalim busy.

Indonesia's two dangerous chances in the early stages of the match were a statement of intent as Muhammad Rahadiazli was forced to make saves, first from Ronaldo Joybera R Junior in the third minute, and then a hard strike from Witan Sulaiman two minutes later.

Malaysia picked up their game in the second half and came close in the 50th minute after Muhammad Azam Azmi Murad saw his attempt almost hit the target.

It was end-to-end after that as both teams took bold risks with chances spurned before Indonesia finally broke the deadlock through Ronaldo Joybera in the 68th minute.

Malaysia, however, kept asking questions and was duly rewarded in the 81st minute through Muhammad Hadi's strike that took a deflection off Indonesian defender Rizky Ridho Ramadhani and into Ernado Ari's goal.

The defeat meant that the national squad failed to pick up a medal at the SEA Games for the second consecutive time after Datuk Ong Kim Swee's squad took the silver in the 2017 Kuala Lumpur edition.

-- BERNAMA