9-2! Indonesia Go On A Rampage, Eliminate Malaysia & Advance to the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup Final

Jakarta - Heavy rain poured over Jakarta shortly before kickoff. The sky above Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (GBK) hung dark and heavy. Still, supporters arrived one after another, determined to witness the Indonesian National Team fight in person.

That night, it was not just victory that Garuda needed. Indonesia had to score as many goals as possible.

At the exact same time, Malaysia was facing Singapore at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung Regency. Both matches ran concurrently, with their combined results deciding who would claim top spot in Group A.

Before kickoff, both Indonesia and Malaysia sat on 4 points. Singapore followed closely behind with 3 points.

This meant the race was never just about winning or losing. Total goals scored would be the deciding tiebreaker.

And this is exactly what turned the Jakarta fixture into a frantic, dramatic goal hunt.

The ITSMe team, led on location by reporter Syafira, covered this match live, experiencing every moment of tension, drama and atmosphere both inside and around the stadium.

Rain, Supporters, And Mounting Pressure

Torrential rain battered the GBK area in the hour before the match. The ITSMe team even had to take shelter briefly before making their way into the stadium grounds.

But the downpour did nothing to deter the supporters.

Travelling from all across the country, they arrived carrying red and white paraphernalia, united by one single hope: to watch Garuda advance to the final.

Right from the opening whistle, Indonesia came out playing aggressive, attacking football.

In the 11th minute, Mitchell Baker opened the scoring after latching onto a through ball from Ole Romeny.

Baker struck again in the 20th minute. Rizky Ridho then extended the lead in the 32nd minute.

Bangladesh pulled one back through Shahriar Emon, but Baker responded almost immediately, adding two more goals in the 37th and 42nd minutes.

Just before the half time whistle, Justin Hubner rounded off the first half with Indonesia's sixth goal.

Indonesia 6 - 1 Bangladesh.

But all eyes were not only fixed on GBK.

Over in Bandung, Malaysia were also finding the back of the net.

When Indonesia went 6-1 up, Malaysia were only leading Singapore 2-0. For the moment, Indonesia held a comfortable advantage in the group standings.

But the match was far from over.

Malaysia Begin Their Chase

As the second half got underway, Indonesia struggled to add to their goal tally, with multiple good chances denied by the Bangladesh Goalkeeper.

The situation was very different in Bandung.

Malaysia kept piling pressure on Singapore, and goals began to come thick and fast.

Malaysia scored four unanswered goals in the second half, finishing the match with a dominant 6-0 victory.

Bergson Da Silva netted a hat-trick, while Stuart Wilkin, Paulo Josue and Muhamad Syahir Bashah each scored one goal apiece.

Suddenly, the entire group dynamic had shifted.

Malaysia had now scored six goals.

Indonesia were still sat on a 6-1 scoreline.

Garuda had to keep hunting for more goals.

Drama Unfolds In The Closing Minutes

In the 90th minute, Luke Vickery finally broke Indonesia's second half drought with the team's seventh goal.

But barely 60 seconds later, Bangladesh struck back through Farhaan Ali Wahid.

7-2.

This was where the real drama began.

Malaysia had already concluded their match with the 6-0 win. The Indonesian squad knew they now required two more goals to overtake Malaysia on total group goals scored.

The pressure was overwhelming.

The clock kept ticking down.

All of GBK held its breath.

The Garuda players threw everything forward in attack.

Then, in the 6th minute of stoppage time, Kevin Diks found the net.

8-2.

One more goal needed.

Moments later, Mitchell Baker fired home once again.

9-2!

The entire GBK stadium erupted.

This fifth goal for Baker on the night was far more than just the cherry on top of an incredible individual performance. It was the decisive strike that pushed Indonesia above Malaysia to claim top spot in Group A.

Soon after, the final whistle blew.

Indonesia won 9-2.

Indonesia Edge Out On Goals Scored

The parallel drama playing out in Jakarta and Bandung resulted in an extraordinarily tight final group table.

Both Indonesia and Malaysia finished the group stage on 7 points, with an identical goal difference of +9.

However, Indonesia had scored more total goals across all group matches.

Garuda finished with 11 total goals scored, while Malaysia recorded 9.

That two goal difference is what ultimately secured Indonesia first place in Group A, and confirmed their qualification for the final of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026.

Put simply: the two stoppage time goals from Kevin Diks and Mitchell Baker were never just late consolations. They were the goals that turned Indonesia from group stage chasers into group winners.

From Rain To The Two Decisive Goals

That night at GBK will be remembered as a story of relentless persistence.

From the pouring rain over Jakarta, the supporters who refused to stay home, the silent tribute for the Kanjuruhan Tragedy, all the way to the nine goals scored on the pitch.

But the most unforgettable drama came from the frantic goal chase, driven by the knowledge Malaysia were running riot hundreds of kilometres away in Bandung.

Garuda could not afford to slow down for even a second.

And when time was just about to run out, those two stoppage time goals changed everything.

Indonesia are through to the final. Malaysia will have to settle for second place.

Now, Thailand await in the tournament decider.

The group stage battle is over.

But for Garuda, the biggest match of all is still ahead.

One final match, one last fight for the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 trophy.

Reporting live from Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, the ITSMe team with reporter Syafira were on hand to witness first hand all the drama, raw emotion and electric atmosphere that accompanied Garuda's historic run to the final.