On the evening of June 2, during the 2026 U19 Southeast Asian Championship match between Malaysia and Singapore, Malaysian player Noorazhar Aqasha was involved in a violent incident. In the 60th minute, at Teladan field in Indonesia, Aqasha fiercely challenged Singapore's Prince Rio for the ball near the right sideline. After being tackled, Aqasha retaliated by tripping Prince and then kicking him in the chest.

The incident immediately sparked a confrontation between players from both teams, but referees quickly intervened to de-escalate the situation. Referee Le Vu Linh issued only a warning, opting not to show a card. Prince, visibly upset, attempted to explain the foul to demand a card, but his pleas were unsuccessful.

Noorazhar Aqasha (yellow jersey) kicks Prince Rio in the chest during Malaysia's 3-0 victory over Singapore in the opening match of Group B at the 2026 U19 Southeast Asian Championship, on Teladan field in Indonesia on 2/6.

The match, part of the 2026 U19 Southeast Asian Championship group stage, did not utilize video assistant referee (VAR) technology. Alongside referee Le Vu Linh, the assistant referees were Nguyen Lam Minh Dang from Vietnam and Aye Chit Moe from Myanmar. Fairuksi Naufal Adya from Indonesia served as the fourth official.

Despite the contentious moment, Malaysia secured a decisive 3-0 victory over Singapore in their opening Group B match. One minute after the foul, Malaysia extended their lead with a third goal. Tengku Hazman dribbled swiftly from the left wing into the penalty area, then curled a right-footed shot into the far corner, beyond the reach of the diving Singaporean goalkeeper.

Malaysia, possessing superior players, had already dominated the first half, securing two goals from Arif Aiman Zaaba in the 21st minute and Abid Safaraz Rozaidi in the 39th minute.

This victory positioned Malaysia in second place in Group B after the opening round. They share three points with Thailand but trail in goal difference (+3 compared to +9).

In the second round on 5/6, Malaysia will compete against Brunei, who recently suffered a 0-9 defeat to Thailand. Singapore will then face Thailand.

Noorazhar Aqasha (yellow jersey) kicks Prince Rio in the chest during Malaysia's 3-0 victory over Singapore in the opening match of Group B at the 2026 U19 Southeast Asian Championship, on Teladan field in Indonesia on 2/6. Video: TV360

The 2026 U19 Southeast Asian Championship takes place from 1/6 to 13/6 in the Indonesian cities of Deli Serdang and Medan. The 11 teams from the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) are divided into three groups. Teams compete in a single round-robin format, with the three group winners and the best runner-up advancing to the semifinals.

This marks the 20th edition of the tournament, which began in 2002 and includes expanded versions featuring teams from outside the region. Thailand and Australia lead with 5 titles each. Malaysia, Myanmar, and Indonesia have each won two titles, while Vietnam, Iran, and Japan have each secured one.

Hieu Luong