Malaysia national futsal team saw their hopes of reaching the semi-finals of the ASEAN Futsal Championship 2026 come to an end following a 1-0 defeat to Indonesia’s national futsal team in their second Group B match at Nonthaburi PAO Gymnasium, Nonthaburi.
After falling to Australia in their opening game, Malaysia entered the clash knowing that only a win would keep their qualification hopes alive. However, they were undone by a resilient Indonesian side determined to secure early progression to the knockout stage.
Head coach Addie Azwan Zainal once again relied on young talent Adam Rayyan Nor Hisam to lead the attack, while Indonesia, guided by Hector Souto, placed their faith in former Pahang Rangers import Guntur Ariwibowo.
Indonesia started brightly, with both Guntur and Andres Dwi Persada testing the Malaysian defence early on.
Malaysia goalkeeper Ammar Harith Mohammad was in inspired form, producing a series of crucial saves to deny Indonesia and keep the score level at 0-0 heading into halftime.
The deadlock was finally broken just three minutes into the second half, when Guntur unleashed a powerful strike that beat Ammar Harith to give Indonesia a 1-0 lead.
Despite going behind, Malaysia maintained their discipline and structure, limiting further damage while searching for an equaliser.
Their best chance came in the 37th minute, when Faaris Amsyar Marhaidi came close to levelling the score. However, the Selangor FC player saw his effort denied by the Indonesian goalkeeper.
With no further goals, the match ended 1-0 in favour of Indonesia, confirming Malaysia’s elimination from the tournament after two consecutive defeats.
Indonesia, meanwhile, strengthened its position in Group B after previously thrashing the Brunei national futsal team 7-0 in their opener.
Malaysia will now turn their attention to their final group match against Brunei on April 8, aiming to end their ASEAN Futsal Championship 2026 campaign on a positive note despite the early exit.
Credit Photo : HongZheng Lim/SNE-Photo
