Indonesia U-23 Struggle to Break Malaysia’s Defense, Rayhan and Robi Highlighted

Jakarta, July 21, 2025 – Indonesia U-23 found it difficult to break through the organized defense of Malaysia U-23 in the final Group A match of the 2025 AFF U-23 Championship. Gerald Vanenburg’s side pushed forward but lacked composure in the final third, causing promising attacks to fall flat.

The first on-target attempt came in the 16th minute from Rayhan Hannan, who struck a volley after capitalizing on a loose ball near the box. His effort, however, was caught cleanly by Malaysian goalkeeper Zulhilmi.

In the 27th minute, Rayhan tried again after a short passing exchange with Dethan, but his shot deflected off a defender and resulted in a goal kick.

Rayhan received a yellow card in the 30th minute for excessive protest after claiming he was fouled in a duel.

Malaysia remained defensively solid throughout, while Indonesia relied on long throw-ins from Robi Darwis as a key attacking weapon. Still, none of these chances translated into clear opportunities.

Goalkeeper Cahya Supriadi collided with Malaysian player Haqimi Azim while trying to intercept a set piece in the 29th minute. He was briefly down but managed to continue playing.

A lack of cohesion and emotional control limited Indonesia’s attacking efforts, with several players dribbling too long and losing possession at critical moments.