Thailand and Iraq clashed in the final on 7/9, after defeating Fiji and Hong Kong respectively in the semi-finals. In the 75th minute, Ibrahim Bayesh delivered a perfect cross to Mohanad Ali, who headed the ball into the top left corner, past goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai.
Immediately afterward, Iraq went down to 10 men after Frans Putros received a second yellow card and subsequent red card for bringing down Supachok Sarachat. However, the drama didn't end there.
In the fourth minute of stoppage time, captain Chanathip Songkrasin was dribbling in midfield when Mohanad Ali viciously kicked him from behind. Malaysian referee Nazmi Nasaruddin immediately issued a straight red card to Ali, but this did little to appease the Thai players.
A number of Thai players, both on the field and from the bench, rushed towards Ali, throwing punches. The brawl broke out into smaller skirmishes, with one Iraqi player punching a member of the Thai coaching staff. Iraqi players also rushed to defend Ali and escorted him off the field. The brawl eventually subsided.
Thailand played with a two-man advantage for the final three minutes but couldn't find an equalizer, losing 1-0. This was Iraq's second time participating in the tournament, and they have now won it twice. Their first victory came in 2023, also against Thailand, in a penalty shootout.
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Defender Apisit Sorada (3) dribbles past Ibrahim Bayesh during the King's Cup final between Thailand and Iraq at Kanchanaburi Stadium, Thailand, on 7/9/2025. Photo: Changsuek |
Defender Apisit Sorada (3) dribbles past Ibrahim Bayesh during the King's Cup final between Thailand and Iraq at Kanchanaburi Stadium, Thailand, on 7/9/2025. Photo: Changsuek
Chanathip had to be stretchered off the field with an apparent knee injury. He is the only player to have won the ASEAN Cup's Most Valuable Player award three times, in 2014, 2016, and 2020.
The 25-year-old Ali scored all three of Iraq's goals in the tournament, including a brace in the semi-final. He has scored 27 goals in 60 appearances for the Iraqi national team. Ali is also a familiar face to Vietnamese fans, having scored against Vietnam twice: once in the 2019 Asian Cup group stage and again in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Following the match, Ali's Instagram account, with 2.3 million followers, was flooded with tens of thousands of comments, mostly in English or Thai, criticizing and even insulting the player.
Hoang An
