Right after the opening whistle, U19 Australia quickly showed their advantage with a fast and high-pressing style of play. In the 3rd minute, from a sharp central combination, Marcus Neill rushed in to finish from close range to open the score 1-0 for the kangaroo team.
By the 18th minute, U19 Australia's continuous pressure continued to be effective. Alex Nunes was present at the right time in the penalty area to finish and double the score, helping "Young Socceroos" quickly create a safe advantage.
In the remainder of the first half, U19 Cambodia faced many difficulties under pressure from the opponent. However, the Southeast Asian team still stood firm, not losing further before entering the break.
In the second half, U19 Australia actively slowed down the pace of the match, creating conditions for U19 Cambodia to gradually regain the game. In the 60th minute, Sokea Sreng took advantage of the opportunity when entering the penalty area and then finished to narrow the score to 1-2, rekindling hope for the home team.
High spirit helps U19 Cambodia play more excitedly in the remaining time. In the 82nd minute, a turning point occurred when defender Lewis Marinucci clumsily scored an own goal, helping U19 Cambodia equalize 2-2.
In the final minutes, both teams tried to find a decisive goal but no more goals were scored. The match ended in a draw, enough for U19 Australia and U19 Cambodia to have 4 points after the group stage.
However, thanks to a superior goal difference, U19 Australia (+10) topped Group C, while U19 Cambodia (+3) ranked second in the group. Both teams won tickets to the semi-finals of the 2026 U19 Southeast Asian Championship.
In the opposite direction, this result caused U19 Vietnam to be officially eliminated, although there was still a chance to compete before. This is considered a regrettable shock of this year's tournament when the highly rated team could not get through the group stage.
The 2-2 draw also closed the dramatic Group C group stage, with many unpredictable developments until the last minutes, clearly reflecting the increasingly fierce competition of youth football in Southeast Asia and Asia.
