Indonesia Blitzes the Philippines 9-0 at AFF U-18 Championship

But Indonesia did not have to wait much longer for their first goal, with midfielder Feby Eka Putra launching a long strike that found the back of the net in the ninth minute.

Their lead was doubled in the 22nd minute by Egy’s convincing strike from close range after a corner kick and a rebound. A minute earlier, Egy also had a one-on-one chance with keeper Kammeraad that went begging.

Flamboyant midfielder Muhammad Iqbal scored Indonesia’s third goal on the 26th minute with a tap-in from a delicious cross from Feby on the left wing.

In the 31st minute, Indonesia received a penalty, but the fighting Kammeraad was able to read Asnawi Bahar’s predictable kick.

Six minutes after the first penalty, the referee pointed again to the penalty spot after Feby was brought down in the box. This time, Egy nonchalantly scored Indonesia’s fourth goal with a firm shot to the left of the diving Kammeraad.

In the 40th minute, Iqbal doubled his tally with a top class free-kick, a low and accurate drive to the far post, which deceived everyone including the keeper.

The Philippines’ striker Mariano Suba made a rare foray into Indonesia’s defense in the 64th minute, ending it with a fierce shot that went over the bar with Indonesian goalie Muhammad Riyandi already beaten.

Feby scored his second goal in the 68th minute with a clinical low strike after a through pass from hardworking midfielder Syahrian Abimanyu.

Indonesia’s captain Rachmat Irianto should also have scored in the 70th minute but his shot at an open goal after he skipped past Kammeraad hit the post.

In the 87th minute, Feby completed his hat-trick after beating Kammeraad one-on-one.

In the 90th minute, Kammeraad was sent off for a professional foul in the box against Rafli, who converted his penalty.

Substitute midfielder Resky Fandi completed Indonesia’s goal-fest with a ninth goal in injury time.

“I am just grateful for the six points from two matches,” Indonesia’s head coach Indra Sjafri said after the match on the AFF website. “I don’t think we have a striker problem at all, since we scored nine goals in this game.”

Sjafri was defending his pet striker Hanis Saghara Putra, who was included in the starting lineup but wasted many chances in front of goal and left the field goalless.

Hanis was replaced in the 72nd minute by another striker Rafli who quickly made two assists and scored a goal.

Meanwhile, the Philippines’ head coach said they were just powerless to stop the Indonesians from overwhelming them in attack.

“The plan was to hold Indonesia to a draw, but we just did not do enough,” Philippine coach Jose Aberasturi admitted. “We were tactically lacking against a strong Indonesian side.”

The big win for Indonesia was spotted by President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, who took to social media to praise the boys team’s superior performance.

“If the national team keeps playing like they did against the Philippines at the AFF U-18 Championship, we might actually win the tournament,” the President said on his Twitter account @jokowi.

Indonesia now tops Group B, followed by Vietnam, which has played only one game, in second place after thrashing Brunei 8-1, also on Thursday.

Indonesia will play Brunei next on Monday.