Indonesia U20 secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Laos U20 in Group Stage 2 of the AFC Youth Championship U20 on 3 September 2026. The result extended the visitors' dominance in this fixture, with goals from F. Azka and twice from Z. Gholy. Two of the three men involved had already been part of that attacking line-up.
F. Azka opened the scoring in the fifth minute, catching the hosts off-guard before they could settle into their shape. By then, Indonesia had already been showing more composure in possession. The goal ended a barren spell for the Indonesian attack, which had struggled to find the net in recent outings.
Z. Gholy doubled the advantage near the half-hour mark, converting another opportunity to stretch the lead. And here's the thing — Indonesia had been looking for a breakthrough since their goalless draw with Malaysia just days earlier. The breakthrough came through Gholy's movement in the box, finishing what started as a routine build-up.
The third goal arrived in the 62nd minute, with Gholy completing his brace to seal the result. To be fair, Laos had shown flashes of promise against Mongolia earlier, but that form evaporated against a more experienced opponent. The visitors played with more control, keeping the ball and limiting the hosts to rare counter-attacks.
The recent form of both sides tells its own story. Laos had endured heavy defeats against Iran and Australia in their opening fixtures, while Indonesia had shown resilience with consecutive goalless draws. This result shifts the group dynamics considerably for the Indonesian side.
What stands out is the efficiency of Indonesia's attack. Three goals from limited chances, scored by two different players, suggests a well-drilled forward line. The hosts' defensive frailties were exposed at crucial moments, particularly in the opening exchanges.