Bola.net – A fierce battle was presented in the final match of Group F of the 2026 U-23 Asian Cup Qualifiers which brought Thailand U-23 with Malaysia U-23.
The match was held at the Thammasat Stadium on Tuesday (9/9/2025) night WIB, and had been colored by the drama even before it began. Heavy rain flushed the stadium area so kick-off must be delayed for a while.
Once the whistle sounded, Thailand immediately showed its quality. The team nicknamed the war elephant appeared dominant in possession and was more courageous to suppress the opponent’s defense.
Their attempt paid off in the 34th minute through Kakana Khamyok’s goal that opened the advantage of the host.
However, Malaysia did not remain silent. For the sake of maintaining hope, the Malay Muda Tiger rose quickly. Six minutes later, Aysar Hadi scored a balancing goal through clinical executions. The first half ended with a 1-1 draw.
1 of 2 pages
Decisive goal in the final minutes
Entering the second half, the intensity of the match is getting higher. The two teams took turns creating opportunities, but the meeting of defense made additional goals difficult to create.
When the game appears to end in a draw, drama appears in injury time. In 90+2 minutes, Kakana Khamyok again listed his name on the scoreboard.
The Muangthong United player ensured a dramatic 2-1 victory for Thailand as well as eliminating Malaysian hopes.
2 of 2 pages
Thailand passed, Malaysia was eliminated
These results confirm the position of Thailand as Group F winners with seven points. The achievement led the young war elephant to the 2026 U-23 Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia, as well as showing their performance consistency throughout the qualifying round.
On the other hand, Malaysia must bury their dreams. Malaya Muda Tiger only finished third with three points.
This failure made Malaysia the same fate as Indonesia U-23, which previously also failed to advance, although in the 2024 edition then Garuda Muda was able to penetrate the semifinals.
