Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Cup
Brunei’s Defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship
The 2025 AFF U23 Championship Group A match witnessed a striking defeat for Brunei in the AFF U23 Championship. The match, held at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, heated up from the first minute. Malaysia U23 played aggressively and completely dominated the game. Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship seemed inevitable when the score was two goals in just five minutes.
Malaysia scored quickly through Danish Syamer in the third minute, followed by an own goal by a Brunei player one minute later. These two goals marked the beginning of a catastrophic defeat for Brunei in the AFF U23 Championship. Brunei appeared unable to cope with the intense pressure from Malaysia, who played a highly organized and efficient game in every aspect of their play.
Malaysia Dominates the Game Since the First Half
Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship deepened as Malaysia continued to add to their tally. In the 32nd minute, Haykal Danish scored Malaysia’s third goal with a low shot that the Brunei goalkeeper was unable to handle. The situation worsened when Haqimi Azim added a fourth in the 42nd minute.
Brunei appeared to be losing their way, their defense easily penetrated by the speed and sharpness of the Malaysian players. This dominance was clearly a major factor in Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship, which was very one-sided. Malaysia not only had superior possession but also had exceptional offensive effectiveness.
Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship proved that the Harimau Muda were far better prepared for this competition. Meanwhile, Brunei failed to put up a significant fight despite making several substitutions to bolster their defensive line.
Brunei’s Struggle Not Enough to Defeat Malaysia
In the second half, Brunei tried to overcome the pressure. However, their efforts were still insufficient to prevent Brunei from losing to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship, which had already gone too far. In the 69th minute, Danish Hakimi added Malaysia’s fifth goal, cementing their dominance in the match.
Brunei finally scored a consolation goal in the 74th minute through Haziq Naqiuddin. However, the celebrations were short-lived, as just two minutes later, Fergus Tierney scored again. Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship was made even more painful by their defense’s inability to withstand Malaysia’s constant attacks.

Brunei’s chances were few and far between. Even a few long-range shots posed no real threat to the Malaysian goalkeeper. This added to Brunei’s long list of failures in this age-group tournament, especially against strong teams like Malaysia.
Malaysia’s Goal Feast in the 2025 Mandiri Cup
Slot Online Ampmwin game was widely discussed by football fans on social media due to its support for tournaments like the Mandiri Cup. In this context, the goal fest demonstrated the stark contrast in levels of play between the two teams. Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Cup certainly served as an important lesson for the Brunei Football Federation to start more seriously developing its young talents.
Malaysia’s goal fest concluded with Haqimi Azim’s second goal in the 89th minute. With a final score of 7-1, this match marked Brunei’s most crushing defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Cup in their history at the U23 level. This scoreline illustrated the unequal strength of the two countries in this tournament.
The Malaysian players appeared extremely confident until the final minutes, giving Brunei little room to maneuver. Their mentality and stamina remained stable, even increasing as the final whistle blew. Meanwhile, the Brunei players appeared tired and frustrated, unable to consistently counter-press.
In-depth Evaluation for the Brunei National Team
Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship will certainly be a major evaluation for the Brunei coach and team management. Weaknesses in the defense, miscommunication between players, and a lack of offensive initiative are key issues that must be addressed immediately. Without significant improvements, Brunei will struggle to compete at the Southeast Asian level.
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Some observers believe that youth development in Brunei lags behind that of neighboring countries like Malaysia, Thailand, and Indonesia. Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship is clear evidence that Brunei is not yet mentally and technically prepared. Improvements in the training structure and international competition experience are needed to further mature the younger generation.
In this context, Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship could be a momentum to rebuild the foundation of their youth football. Otherwise, losses like this will continue and worsen their performance in regional competitions like the AFF U23 Championship.
Malaysia Ready to Challenge Indonesia in the Decisive Match
With this big win, Malaysia is now preparing to face Indonesia in their final group match. The decisive victory over Brunei has boosted Malaysia’s confidence dramatically. Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship gave them significant leverage to challenge the hosts, who have also performed convincingly so far.
The match against Indonesia will be a real test for Malaysia. However, based on Brunei’s defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship, the Harimau Muda have shown great potential to advance to the next round. The Malaysian coach also stated that his team has not yet shown their maximum performance and will play more aggressively against the Garuda Muda.
This match will certainly be a major focus for ASEAN football fans. Meanwhile, Brunei, following their defeat to Malaysia in the AFF U23 Championship, must prepare for their final match, only to close out the group stage without a major goal. Their focus now is no longer on the result, but on improving the performance and mentality of their young players for long-term experience.