Mitch Baker scored a hat-trick on his international debut as Indonesia launched their ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026 Group A campaign with a convincing 5-1 win over Cambodia in Bogor on Monday
The 19-year-old marked his first appearance for the Merah Putih in style, opening the scoring for John Herdman’s side in the fifth minute before going on to net again in the 15th and 56th minutes.
Sandy Walsh was also on target for Indonesia and, while Chea Sokmeng forced Indonesia goalkeeper Nadeo Argawinata to push the ball over his own line in the 48th minute, Jens Raven scored with four minutes remaining to complete a comfortable win.
It took the Indonesians a little over five minutes to go in front, the home side capitalizing on a foul by Yudai Ogawa on Ivar Jenner 10 yards inside the visitors’ half that earned the Cambodia midfielder a yellow card.
Thom Haye stepped up to deliver a perfectly-flighted free kick into the heart of the penalty area and Baker rose above the defence to flick his header into the bottom corner, beyond Hul Kimhuy’s hopeful dive.
By the 15th minute Indonesia had doubled their lead with a rapid-fire flowing move that cut through the Cambodian defence. Marc Klok released a sprinting Eliano Reijnders down the right flank and his centre was side-footed home with by the arriving Baker.
Walsh was denied a third for Indonesia when his shot hit the post but, in the 24th minute, the former Buriram United FC and Yokohama F Marinos man managed to convert when he nodded in Haye’s corner from the left.
Three minutes into the second half, however, Cambodia gave themselves a lifeline. Ogawa rolled his corner to Chea and the defender hit a curling strike towards goal from a tight angle that Nadeo palmed over his own line.
Egy Maulana Vikri saw his attempt to restore Indonesia’s three-goal cushion deflected onto the crossbar by Kimhuy after Baker had headed narrowly wide moments earlier.
But the Australia-born forward was not to be denied his hat-trick with the United States-based striker meeting another Haye centre from the right cleanly to give Kimhuy little chance.
Substitute Raven swept the ball into an empty net with four minutes remaining after a mix-up in the Cambodia defence to put the seal on a dominant performance by the six-times runners-up. – aseanutdfc.com
