The two matches in the second round of Group A taking place today (July 18) are expected to have a strong impact on the race for tickets to the semi-finals of the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament. According to the schedule, U.23 Malaysia will face U.23 Brunei at 5:00 p.m., while the late match at 8:00 p.m. will be between U.23 Philippines and U.23 Indonesia.
U.23 Malaysia must beat U.23 Brunei
The shocking 0-2 loss to the Philippines in the opening match has put U.23 Malaysia in a difficult situation. Once considered a strong candidate for a ticket to the semi-finals, the young team of the "Malay Tigers" is currently ranked 3rd in Group A, with no points, a goal difference of -2 and facing the risk of being eliminated early if they cannot beat U.23 Brunei in this match.
U.23 Malaysia meets U.23 Brunei at 5:00 p.m. today, July 18
PHOTO: FPT PLAY
Despite having the ball possession time (70%) and creating many shots on goal, U.23 Malaysia still could not score. The lack of cohesion, poor finishing ability and immature mentality of the young players were the main reasons for the defeat in the first match. The media of this country even called this defeat a "wake-up call" for U.23 Malaysia.
Meeting U.23 Brunei, the team that lost 0-8 to U.23 Indonesia, is the best opportunity for U.23 Malaysia to regain confidence with a victory. However, this is not only a technical problem, but also a mental battle. If they cannot win, or only get a draw, U.23 Malaysia's chance to continue will be almost gone, because in the last match they will meet host U.23 Indonesia, a team that is showing formidable strength.
U.23 Indonesia will face U.23 Philippines at 8:00 p.m. today, July 18.
PHOTO: FPT PLAY
Group A is currently in favor of Indonesia (goal difference +8, group leader) and the Philippines (goal difference +2, group runner-up), both with 3 points after the first round of matches. Meanwhile, Malaysia and Brunei are still empty-handed. According to the tournament format, only the three group winners and the best second-placed team will advance to the semi-finals. That makes each match in the group stage very important.
To keep their hopes of advancing, U.23 Malaysia not only needs to beat U.23 Brunei but also needs to improve their goal difference, while waiting for a favorable result in the match between the Philippines and Indonesia. The second match of Group A today (July 18) will be a turning point for U.23 Malaysia. A victory over U.23 Brunei is not only a goal, but also an order for them to continue their journey at the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lich-thi-dau-u23-dong-nam-a-hom-nay-malaysia-khong-con-duong-lui-thua-la-ve-185250717233303581.htm
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