Indonesia's draw with Laos considered ASEAN Cup classic

Peter Phanthavong (no. 23) scored the third goal for Laos against Indonesia in ASEAN Cup group stage on Dec. 12, 2024. Photo by LFF

The match featured unexpected twists and turns, with Laos taking the lead twice, only to be equalized each time in the first half. After midfielder Marselino Ferdinand was sent off in the 69th minute, Indonesia managed to lead 3-2. However, Laos fought back to level the score at 3-3, ending a highly entertaining game.

All three of Indonesia's goals came from set pieces, with two long throw-ins delivered by defender Pratama Arhan. In contrast, Laos capitalized on counterattacks to score their three goals.

Football commentator Gabe Tan likened the match to the thrilling contests of the ASEAN Cup from 1996-2004, when it was still called Tiger Cup. Back then, Laos frequently caused surprises with draws against regional heavyweights, such as Vietnam in 1996, and Malaysia in 1998 and 2002. This time, despite a 1-4 loss to Vietnam in their opening match, Laos managed to impress with a draw against title contender Indonesia. Although they have yet to defeat a big team in the region at the tournament, Laos have proven to be full of surprises.

"Laos entered the match as the underdog, having avoided defeat in only eight of their 45 previous ASEAN Cup matches," ESPN commented. "They are always a threat on the counterattacks, thanks to the stellar performances of captain Bounphachan Bounkong. Laos didn't deserve to lose, and a draw was a fair result based on their display."

Indonesia's star midfielder Ferdinan had a disappointed performance in this game, failing to contribute to the attacking line. He left the team struggling with a red card and they had to play with 10 men in the final 20 minutes.

"Marselino is having a forgettable tournament. He has shown little impact," regional football expert Rhysh Rai wrote.

After the match, coach Shin entered the field to shake hands with each Lao player as a gesture of respect. There were concerns from the media that he might not extend the same courtesy to his own players in the locker room.

Indonesia's performance against Laos raised doubts about their ability to secure the title.

"Four points from two matches is a solid result on paper, but this might not be Indonesia's year to break the 28-year drought of not becoming champions of Southeast Asia," ESPN noted.

Before the match, Indonesia were ranked 125th in FIFA, 61 places above Laos. However, coach Shin was not able to field his strongest squad, as several key naturalized players were unavailable due to club duty, with the Indonesian national championship also running at the same time.

In their next match on Sunday, Indonesia will face Vietnam at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho, without Ferdinan, who will be suspended following his red card.