Evandra Florasta’s Late Goal Secures Indonesia U-19 Semifinal Spot
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- Indonesia U-19 defeated Vietnam 2-1 to secure a place in the semifinals of the 2026 ASEAN Boys Championship.
- A late penalty from Evandra Florasta ensured Indonesia finished top of Group A with a perfect record.
- Head coach Nova Arianto praised his team’s resilience as they now turn their focus to the semifinal round.
Jakarta – Indonesia’s U-19 national team booked their place in the semifinals of the 2026 ASEAN Boys Championship after edging Vietnam 2-1 in their final Group A match at the Main Stadium of North Sumatra on Sunday.
The victory was sealed by goals from Reno Salampessy in the 22nd minute and a stoppage-time penalty converted by Evandra Florasta in the 90+1 minute. Vietnam had briefly leveled the score through captain Nguyen Quoc Khanh in the 73rd minute.
Needing a win to secure top spot in the group, Indonesia started the match on the front foot. Nova Arianto’s side relied on quick short-passing combinations and managed to break the deadlock midway through the first half.
The opening goal came after Arkhan Kaka delivered a precise pass to Reno Salampessy, who drove into the penalty area and calmly finished past the Vietnamese goalkeeper.
Despite taking the lead, Indonesia came under sustained pressure as Vietnam pushed forward aggressively in search of an equalizer. However, the 1-0 scoreline held until halftime.
Vietnam intensified their attacks in the second half and nearly equalized in the 51st minute, but Trong Dhui Khang Hoang’s effort was denied by Indonesian goalkeeper Dafa Al Gasemi.
Indonesia had a chance to double their advantage in the 56th minute when Irfan met Arkhan Kaka’s through ball, but his attempt sailed over the crossbar.
Vietnam eventually found the equalizer in the 73rd minute through a header from Nguyen Quoc Khanh, capitalizing on a corner kick situation.
With the match seemingly heading for a draw, Indonesia were awarded a penalty deep into injury time after Van Khanh Nguyen fouled Theodore Evan Leeming inside the box.
Evandra Florasta stepped up and confidently converted the penalty in the 90+1 minute, restoring Indonesia’s lead. The scoreline remained unchanged until the final whistle.
The result secured Indonesia the top position in Group A with a perfect nine points from three matches. Vietnam finished second with six points and now await confirmation of a possible semifinal berth as one of the best runners-up.
Head coach Nova Arianto praised his players’ determination, noting their mental resilience throughout the group stage.
“I am grateful that all the players performed at their best. Mentally, they showed great strength. Even after conceding, they kept fighting, and thankfully we secured the win,” Nova said.
Despite the positive result, Nova emphasized the need for further evaluation ahead of the semifinal clash.
“We will assess who our opponent will be in the semifinal. As for Reno, we hope his injury is not serious and that he will be available for the next match,” he added.
Indonesianpost.com | Kabarin
