Indonesia Women’s national team kicked off their 2026 AFF Women’s Championship campaign with a composed 2-0 victory over Timor Leste Women on July 10, 2026, at a neutral venue in Southeast Asia. The result saw Garuda Pertiwi collect three vital points in the group stage, while the young Timorese side, making their return to the regional showpiece, showed flashes of promise but ultimately fell short against a more experienced opponent.

Match Overview

Played under the humid evening conditions typical of the AFF Women’s Championship, the match saw Indonesia control possession from the opening whistle. Despite a spirited defensive effort from Timor Leste, Indonesia’s quality in the final third proved decisive. The first goal arrived midway through the first half, and a second after the break sealed the win.

First Half: Indonesia’s Breakthrough

Indonesia dominated the opening 25 minutes, with winger Baiq Amiatun causing constant trouble down the left flank. Timor Leste’s goalkeeper Maria da Costa made several sharp saves to keep the score level, but the pressure eventually told. In the 32nd minute, a short corner found Maulina Novelia unmarked on the edge of the box; her fierce low drive beat da Costa inside the near post to make it 1-0.

Timor Leste responded with their best spell of the half, earning a free kick in a dangerous area through forward Natalia de Jesus, but the set-piece was comfortably gathered by Indonesia’s goalkeeper Riska Aprilia.

Second Half: Indonesia Seal the Win

The second period followed a similar pattern. Indonesia continued to press, and their second goal came in the 67th minute. Substitute Sari Sam latched onto a through ball from captain Mega Sari, rounded the onrushing da Costa, and slotted into an empty net.

Timor Leste never gave up and nearly pulled one back in the 79th minute when substitute Isabel dos Santos headed just wide from a corner. Indonesia comfortably saw out the final ten minutes to claim a clean sheet.

Standout Players

• Maulina Novelia (Indonesia): Scored the crucial opener and controlled the tempo from midfield.
• Mega Sari (Indonesia): Provided the assist for the second goal and anchored the midfield with experience.
• Maria da Costa (Timor Leste): Despite conceding twice, made seven saves to keep the scoreline respectable.

Group Stage Implications

With this victory, Indonesia moved to three points in Group A of the 2026 AFF Women’s Championship, level with the group leaders on goal difference (pending other results). Timor Leste, playing their first competitive match in the tournament in several years, remain on zero points but showed enough defensive resilience to suggest they can be competitive in their remaining fixtures.

The two sides had not met in the AFF Women’s Championship since 2019, when Indonesia also won 2-0. This result extended Indonesia’s winning streak against Timor Leste in all official women’s matches to four.