ZOAHARIAN.COM – Tickets for the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup final are in sight, but the Indonesian National Team cannot yet breathe a sigh of relief.

The Garuda squad must face Bangladesh in the final Group A match at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), Jakarta, Thursday (1/10/2026) evening. This match was one of the determinants of Indonesia's journey to the final.

It's not just victory that must be sought. The Garuda squad also has to pay attention to the results of the Malaysia versus Singapore match which was held at the same time at the Si Jalak Harupat Stadium, Bandung.

The reason is, Group A competition is still very open.

Currently Malaysia and Indonesia have both collected 4 points from two matches. Malaysia is at the top because of a superior goal difference of +3, while Indonesia has a goal difference of +2.

Below both is Singapore with 3 points, while Bangladesh is in the bottom position with 0 points.

Bangladesh Must Be Conquered

Indonesia's first mission is actually simple: win over Bangladesh

An additional three points will bring Garuda's collection to 7 points. However, this figure does not automatically ensure that Indonesia will win Group A.

The result of Malaysia's match against Singapore remains an important part of the final tally.

If Malaysia only draws or even loses to Singapore, Indonesia, which wins over Bangladesh, will secure 7 points and be above Malaysia.

This situation is a relatively simple scenario for Garuda.

The problem is if Malaysia wins

Well, this is where the real tension lies.

If Malaysia manages to beat Singapore, Malaysia will also collect 7 points.

Indonesia and Malaysia are both at number 7.

The previous meeting between Indonesia and Malaysia ended in a 0-0 draw. Therefore, final position determination will depend on the applicable tie-breaker criteria, including the calculation of goal difference according to tournament regulations.

Currently Malaysia has a goal difference of +3, while Indonesia is +2.

This means that if Malaysia wins, every Indonesian goal against Bangladesh could be very meaningful in the competition at the top.

Garuda needs to win with a sufficient margin to improve the goal difference while increasing its chances of finishing in top position.

If Singapore makes you a surprise?

Other scenarios are also interesting.

If Singapore manages to beat Malaysia, they will collect 6 points.

Meanwhile, Indonesia, which is able to conquer Bangladesh, will collect 7 points.

Under these conditions, Indonesia remains above Singapore based on the number of points.

Therefore, the Malaysia versus Singapore duel must also attract the attention of the Indonesian public until the final whistle sounds.

Don't Fail to Win

One thing that Indonesia must avoid most is losing points to Bangladesh.

If Garuda only draws, Indonesia's points collection will be 5. If they lose, Indonesia will still have 4 points.

In these conditions, Indonesia's chances of advancing to the final will depend greatly on the results of other matches and the ranking criteria.

Therefore, victory is the main target that must be secured.

This is Garuda's formula for the final

Group A's calculations can be summarized as:

- Indonesia wins + Malaysia draws/loses = Indonesia finishes in top position with 7 points

- Indonesia wins + Malaysia wins = Indonesia and Malaysia both have 7 points, so the tie-breaker criteria is decisive.

- Indonesia draws/loses = chances of getting to the final become much more complicated.

With the final matches being held simultaneously, the drama in Group A is guaranteed to last until the final minutes.

For the Indonesian national team, Bangladesh is not just the final opponent in the group phase. This match is the door to the final.

Winning is the first mission. After that, Garuda will have to wait for the results of Malaysia versus Singapore