Indonesia Sinks Myanmar 7-1, Ends Third at AFF U-18 Championship
Jakarta. Indonesia's under-18 national football team sunk host Myanmar 7-1 in the third-place match of the 2017 Asean Football Federation U-18 Championship on Sunday (17/09).
Since scoring in the 14th minute, with striker Muhammad Rafli finishing an assist from prodigy Egy Maulana Vikri, Indonesia was bombarded by the host, which despite 56 percent possession of the ball lacked in accuracy.
Indonesia had 10 on-target attempts, while Myanmar only three on-target shots.
Incisive midfielder Witan Sulaeman doubled Indonesia's lead in the 29th minute with a clinical finish, beating Myanmar's goalie Htet Wai Yan Soe.
Egy scored the third with a header in the 35th minute, after a cross from Witan.
After the break, Rafli clinched his second goal thanks to Egy who sent a delicious through-pass in the 60th minute.
Seven minutes later, Myanmar's Htet Phyoe Wai stamped on Indonesian left-back Simanjuntak Christianson's chest when he launched a legal clean tackle. Referee Xaypasert Phongsanit of Laos only gave Phyoe Wai a yellow card warning.
Striker Hanis Saghara Putra scored Indonesia's fifth goal in the 73rd minute, and soon Egy scored the sixth in the 87th minute. Hanis completed Indonesia's seven-goal earning in injury time, replying Myanmar's only yield from a long shot by Pyae Sone Naing seconds earlier.
"I told the players before the match not to be egoistic, and that probably contributed to the high score today," Indonesian head coach Indra Sjafri said after the game, as quoted on the AFF website.
"Myanmar is still a good team, but I felt that today we were more motivated. We learnt from our mistakes in the last game," he added.
"Indonesia was playing against ghosts today, [as if] only one team came to the game. Myanmar was not there," Myanmar coach Rabah Benlargi, who comes from France, bemoaned the loss.
The 2017 AFF U-18 Championship was won by Thailand, which beat Malaysia 2-0 in the final, also on Sunday.
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