Yangon: Indonesia kicked off their ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024 Group B campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Myanmar at Thuwunna Stadium on Monday.
Myanmar were by far the better team in the opening 45 minutes and were unlucky not to go into the break in front after Zaw Win Thein struck the woodwork seven minutes before the interval.
The match-winning goal came with a little under 15 minutes to play when substitute Asnawi Mangkualam’s effort found its way into the back of the net via the crossbar and the head of Myanmar goalkeeper Zin Nyi Nyi Aung as Indonesia survived a scare to take all three points.
The big news for Indonesia ahead of kick-off was that young star Marselino Ferdinan, scorer of both goals in the famous 2-0 FIFA World Cup qualifiers victory over Saudi Arabia last month, started in midfield as the Garuda began their mission to finally end their long wait for the title.
However, it was Myanmar who had the first chance of note inside five minutes when their own star man, Mg Mg Lwin, played a lovely outside-of-the-boot ball from the left towards the unmarked Lwin Moe Aung in the centre, but the attacking midfielder was off-target with his first-time effort from 10 yards with the goal at his mercy.
The hosts were completely on top and had another sight on goal in the 17th minute when Thiha Zaw controlled a loose ball in the box with his right foot, spun and struck goalwards with his left but goalkeeper Cahya Supriadi got down well to save.
A third great chance came Myanmar’s way midway through the half, this time right-back Hein Phyo Win crossing with his left foot towards Lwin Moe Aung at the back post, but he headed wide from just a few yards out when he should have done better.
Myanmar came even closer in the 38th minute when Aung Kaung Mann laid the ball to Zaw Win Thein and his wonderful left-footed strike from 20 yards hit the top of the crossbar as the game somehow remained goalless.
Indonesia had their best chance of the first half on the stroke of half-time but Hokky Caraka’s glancing header from Arkhan Fikri’s free-kick went wide of the mark as the sides went in level.
Perhaps shaken by the Myanmar onslaught, the warning signs were heeded by Indonesia’s head coach Shin Tae-yong, who introduced captain Asnawi and Rafael Struick at half-time as the Garuda sought to take control of the game.
Struick had an effort on goal as the hour approached, a low drive from distance that was easily gathered by goalkeeper Zin Nyi Nyi Aung as Indonesia, while performing better in the second half, struggled to create any clear-cut chances.
But the Garuda then took the lead on 76 minutes after Myanmar failed to clear a long Pratama Arhan throw-in from the right, allowing Alfriyanto Nico Saputro to roll the ball back to Asnawi on the corner of the six-yard box and his strike ended up in the back of the net after coming off both the bar and the head of Zin Nyi Nyi Aung.
Struick called the Myanmar goalkeeper into action once more soon after with the Netherlands-born forward forcing him to get down low to save as the visitors attempted to kill off the tie.
Myanmar pushed forward in the closing minutes but there was to be no late equaliser as they were made to pay for the missed first-half chances in a game they can still take plenty of positives from.
Indonesia will return home to face Laos in Surakarta on Thursday while Myanmar will travel to Manila to take on the Philippines on the same day.
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