Diks Captains Indonesia to First ASEAN Cup Crown in Shootout Thriller Over Thailand

Indonesia ended a 35-year wait for silverware in the most dramatic fashion imaginable, beating Thailand 4-2 in a penalty shootout to lift the inaugural FIFA ASEAN Cup at a raucous Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Monday night.

The final finished 2-2 after 120 minutes. Dean James put the hosts ahead in the 84th minute when his free kick deflected off Thailand substitute Iklas Sanron, but Iklas volleyed home an equaliser three minutes later to force extra time. Thailand, down to ten men after Nicholas Mickelson's second yellow card in the 81st minute, somehow took the lead through Peeradol Chamrasamee in the 111th minute — only for Elkan Baggott to level in the 116th and send the final to spot kicks.

Borussia Mönchengladbach defender Kevin Diks, captaining his country, set the tone by converting Indonesia's first penalty, and Dean James, Baggott and Shayne Pattynama followed suit. Thailand captain Sarach Yooyen struck the crossbar before goalkeeper Emil Audero saved Nattapong Sayriya's effort to seal it in front of 70,098 fans.

It is Indonesia's first senior trophy since gold at the 1991 SEA Games, and ends a ten-year, eight-match winless run against Thailand. Head coach John Herdman called it "a proud moment for Indonesia", while President Prabowo Subianto — who watched alongside FIFA president Gianni Infantino and joined the trophy lift — praised the team's refusal to surrender.