Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bogor: Malaysia won't stop believing, despite the improbable turnaround they require to advance to the AFC U-19 Championship Indonesia 2018 quarter-finals, according to head coach Bojan Hodak.
With a single point from their first two matches, the Hairmau Muda must beat China PR at Pakansari Stadium and hope Tajikistan simultaneously suffer defeat to Saudi Arabia to keep their knockout stage chances alive, but hope springs eternal for Hodak.
"I always believe," he said. "I believe we can be champions. In football anything is possible. The ball is round.
"If we want to go through, we need to win and we need the result. Saudi Arabia need to win to be on the top of the table, maybe one point is good enough for them also, but Tajikistan want to win to get an easier opponents in the second round. This doesn't depend on us."
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bekasi: Malaysian head coach Bojan Hodak praised his side for the improved performance which kept their AFC U-19 Championship Indonesia 2018 campaign alive, but lamented the mistakes which prevented them from claiming three points on a dramatic night against Tajikistan.
The 2-2 draw at Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium kept Hodak's charges in contention for the last eight, though only just, with one point from two matches following last Saturday's 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia.
The Southeast Asians now must beat China PR on Friday, and hope Tajikistan suffer defeat against the Saudis, to stay in with a chance of their first quarter-final appearance in 14 years.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bekasi: Saudi Arabia head coach Khalid Abdullah Atawi was a happy man after his side became the second team to secure a place in the AFC U-19 Championship Indonesia 2018 knockout stage.
The West Asians join Group B leaders Japan as sides to have already stamped their ticket to the quarter finals, after they defied monsoonal rain to beat now eliminated China PR 1-0, thanks to Abdulmohsen Al Qahtani's late goal.
"It was a great match and the Chinese team was very, very strong. They played very well and showed a lot of skill during the match," Abdullah Atawi said in reflection.
"The circumstances of the weather affected our performance. We had hoped we'd be better than this but this situation is what affected us, but we got the points and that's the most important thing from the match."
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bekasi: Saudi Arabia defied torrential rain and a gallant China PR to claim a crucial 1-0 win which secured their place in the AFC U-19 Championship Indonesia 2018 quarter-finals.
Abdulmohsen Al Qahtani came off the bench to score an 81st minute winner, taking Saudi Arabia to top spot in Group D with two wins from as many matches following their earlier 2-1 win over Malaysia.
China PR are now eliminated from the competition, after falling to consecutive losses in their opening two matches.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bekasi: Malaysia kept their slim AFC U-19 Championship Indonesia 2018 quarter-final hopes alive with a 2-2 Group D draw against Tajikistan at the Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium on Tuesday.
The Southeast Asians still stand a chance at reaching the last eight, but they will need to defeat China PR, and hope Tajikistan lose to Saudi Arabia on Friday if they are to stand a chance.
Malaysia led early through Hadi Fayyadh, before goals to Panshanbe Ehsoni and Daler Yodgorov put Tajikistan ahead, with Bojan Hodak's side sharing the spoils when Tajik defender Vahdat Hanonov turned Nabil Hakim Bokhari's second half free kick into his own net.
The match was marred by two late red cards, and a serious leg injury to Tajikistan's Ziyovuddin Fuzaylov which saw the player taken to the hospital.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bekasi: Saudi Arabia held off a late surge from Malaysia to make a winning start at the AFC U-19 Championship Indonesia 2018, eventually claiming a 2-1 win at the Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium on Saturday.
Turki Al Ammar and Salem Al Saleem found the back of the net for the Saudis, who endured a tense finish after dominating most of the match, with Malaysia failing to register a shot on target until their 88th minute goal from Hadi Fayyadh.
The win puts the West Asian side in pole position in Group D as they look to reach a ninth FIFA U-20 World Cup by finishing as one of the top four teams in the competition.
Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bekasi: A sweetly struck drive from Sharafjon Solehov got Tajikistan's AFC U-19 Championship Indonesia 2018 campaign up and running, as they claimed a 1-0 win over China PR in Group D at the Patriot Chandrabhaga Stadium on Saturday.
The 18-year-old rattled in a superb 25-yard effort to put the Central Asians in a strong position to qualify for the quarter finals, joining Saudi Arabia as Group D leaders.
Solehov's late winner broke a 77-minute impasse after the two sides, the last to make their first appearances on the Indonesia 2018 stage, had played out a tense contest with little between them.