The 2020 AFF Championship final was the final of the 2020 AFF Championship. It was played between Indonesia and Thailand in two legs, both played at the National Stadium, Kallang, Singapore. The first leg was held on 29 December 2021 and the second leg took place on 1 January 2022. Thailand won a record-extending sixth title 6–2 on aggregate. This was the highest-scoring AFF Championship final, which also produced a larger margin of victory than any finals before.
Thailand won the first leg 4–0, the biggest defeat for either side in this fixture since their meeting at the 1985 Southeast Asian Games, when Thailand as the host country won 7–0 against Indonesia. With a four-goal margin of defeat, this was also the biggest defeat in an AFF Championship final, in any legged tie. The previous joint-biggest defeats were by a three-goal margin (4–1 in the 2000 single leg final and 3–0 in the first leg of the 2010 final), both of which coincidentally featured Indonesia as the losing side. In the second leg, Indonesia stroke first but conceded two in three minutes before equalising with just minutes to go as they avoided to become the first team to lose both legs of the final since themselves to Singapore in 2004.
Background The 2020 AFF Championship (officially known as the 2020 AFF Suzuki Cup for sponsorship reasons) was the 13th edition of the AFF Championship, the 13th edition of the football championship of nations affiliated to the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), and the seventh as the AFF Suzuki Cup. The tournament was due to be held at the said year but was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic which started in early 2020.
This was the sixth AFF Championship final for Indonesia, having qualified and lost the 2000, 2002, 2004, 2010, and 2016 finals.
This was the ninth AFF Championship final for Thailand, having won the 1996, 2000, 2002, 2014, and 2016 finals, and lost in 2007, 2008, and 2012.
Both were teams with the most appearances in the AFF Championship finals; Thailand was leading the all-time championship table with five titles to their name. At the other hand, Indonesia had lost all five of their previous finals, two more than the second-worst, Thailand. They had met three times in the AFF Championship final, with Thailand winning in 2000, 2002, and 2016. In all competitions, Thailand won 38 meetings between the sides, Indonesia won 20, and 23 matches ended in draws – including those ended with penalties – prior to the final. Some even scores on source were deemed W or L depending on penalty shoot-out results. The 1977 semi-final result was originally 1–1 but Thailand was awarded a 2–0 win due to an in-match brawl. The 1979 second place play-off and 1981 semi-final results are not in source. Prior to the 2001 Southeast Asian Games, which saw age-group teams playing in place of senior teams ever since, both countries met in every edition of the games between 1977 and 1997. Among 12 matches, two were in the gold medal matches of 1991 and 1997, in which one side defeated the other on penalties.
Both countries played the final without their national flags due to non-compliance with conditions set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Road to the final
Note: In all results below, the score of the finalist is given first (H: home; A: away). Home and away are administrative only, since all matches were played in Singapore. RoundOpponentResultGroup stageOpponentResult4–2Matchday 12–05–1Matchday 24–00–0Matchday 32–14–1Matchday 42–0Group B winnersFinal standingsGroup A winnersOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd legKnockout stageOpponentAgg.1st leg2nd leg5–31–1 (A)4–2 (H)Semi-finals2–02–0 (A)0–0 (H)
Matches First leg
GK 23Nadeo ArgawinataRB 14Asnawi Mangkualam (c)CB 19Fachruddin Aryanto CB 5 Rizky RidhoLB 3 Edo Febriansah CM 13Rachmat Irianto CM 28Alfeandra DewanggaRW 8 Witan SulaemanAM 15Ricky Kambuaya LW 25Irfan Jaya CF 27Dedik Setiawan Substitutions:DF 30Elkan Baggott FW 9 Kushedya Hari Yudo FW 10Egy Maulana Vikri FW 29Hanis Saghara Putra FW 20Ramai Rumakiek Manager: Shin Tae-yong GK 23Siwarak Tedsungnoen CB 13Philip RollerCB 5 Elias Dolah CB 19Tristan Do CM 26Kritsada KamanCM 16Phitiwat Sukjitthammakul CM 27Weerathep PomphanRW 7 Supachok SarachatLW 18Chanathip Songkrasin (c) SS 11Bordin PhalaCF 10Teerasil Dangda Substitutions:MF 28Pokklaw Anan MF 8 Thitiphan Puangchan FW 22Supachai Chaided MF 24Worachit Kanitsribampen GK 1 Kawin Thamsatchanan Manager: Alexandré Pölking
Second leg
GK 23Siwarak TedsungnoenCB 15Narubadin WeerawatnodomCB 25Pawee Tanthatemee CB 3 Theerathon Bunmathan CM 26Kritsada KamanCM 6 Sarach Yooyen RW 7 Supachok SarachatAM 12Thanawat Suengchitthawon LW 18Chanathip Songkrasin (c) SS 11Bordin Phala CF 10Teerasil Dangda Substitutions:MF 16Phitiwat Sukjitthammakul FW 9 Adisak Kraisorn MF 27Weerathep Pomphan DF 13Philip Roller FW 17Jenphob Phokhi Manager: Alexandré Pölking GK 23Nadeo ArgawinataCB 14Asnawi Mangkualam (c) CB 19Fachruddin AryantoCB 12Pratama ArhanRM 8 Witan SulaemanCM 13Rachmat Irianto CM 28Alfeandra DewanggaLM 20Ramai Rumakiek RF 10Egy Maulana VikriCF 27Dedik Setiawan LF 15Ricky KambuayaSubstitutions:FW 25Irfan Jaya FW 29Hanis Saghara Putra MF 6 Evan Dimas MF 17Syahrian Abimanyu Manager: Shin Tae-yong
Notes
References
External links AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 – Official website