At the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiangmai, Indonesia played intensely for a significant victory, yet it proved insufficient to advance. When the referee blew the final whistle, several young Indonesian players wept, unable to reach the semifinals as the best second-place team.

The defending champion finished second in group C with three points and a goal difference of +1, matching Malaysia in group B. However, Malaysia scored 4 goals, one more than Indonesia, securing their advancement.

Indonesian players show disappointment after defeating Myanmar 3-1 in the final group C match of men's football at SEA Games 33 on the evening of 12/12, but failing to advance to the semifinals. *Bola*

The three group winners were host Thailand (group A), Vietnam (group B), and the Philippines (group C).

The SEA Games 33 football and futsal technical handbook states that the host team is prioritized to face the best second-place team. Thus, the two semifinal matchups are Thailand against Malaysia and Vietnam against the Philippines. Both matches will be held on the afternoon of 15/12 at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.

Since men's football was designated for the U22 and U23 age groups in 2001, Thailand and Vietnam have reached the semifinals in 10 of the 13 tournaments. Malaysia has qualified nine times, while the Philippines makes its first semifinal appearance since 1991.

Vietnam defeated Malaysia 2-0 in the final group B match of men's football at SEA Games 33, held at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand on 11/12. *Hieu Luong*

During the same period from 2001, Thailand has reached the final seven times. Vietnam and Malaysia follow, each with 4 appearances. The Philippines, however, has never reached the final in its history.

Vietnam and the Philippines have never met in a SEA Games semifinal. Their most recent encounter was in the U23 Southeast Asia 2025 Championship semifinals in Indonesia, where Vietnam secured a 2-1 victory. The matchup between Thailand and Malaysia is also a first for the U age group format.

Thailand leads with 16 men's football gold medals, followed by Malaysia (6), Myanmar (5), and Vietnam and Indonesia, each with three.

In women's football, Vietnam will face a significantly weaker opponent, Indonesia, while host Thailand will play the Philippines. This setup could lead to two finals in the football event featuring the arch-rivals, Vietnam and Thailand.

Hieu Luong