Dewa United Held by 10-Man Phnom Penh Crown in AFC Cup

Dewa United was held to a 1-1 draw by Phnom Penh Crown in their opening AFC Challenge League 2025/26 match at the Indomilk Arena, Tangerang, on Sunday (October 26th). Despite enjoying a numerical advantage after a Phnom Penh Crown player was sent off, the Banten Warriors were unable to capitalize and secure a victory.

From the kickoff, Dewa United dominated possession, dictating the tempo of the game. Phnom Penh Crown, on the other hand, focused on exploiting opportunities through counter-attacks.

Dewa United’s first significant chance came in the 23rd minute when Alta Ballah unleashed a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, only to see his effort strike the crossbar.

Another golden opportunity presented itself in the 43rd minute. Egy Maulana Vikri fired an accurate shot from close range, but Phnom Penh Crown’s goalkeeper, Um Vichet, proved equal to the task, making a crucial save. The score remained 0-0 as the teams headed into the halftime break.

The game took a dramatic turn in the 66th minute when Yem Devit received a red card for a blatant elbow to Egy’s head. The sending off reduced the Cambodian representatives to ten men.

Dewa United finally broke the deadlock in the 70th minute. Egy Maulana Vikri struck a shot from outside the box; Vichet managed to get a hand to it, but the ball ultimately found its way into the net.

However, Phnom Penh Crown responded swiftly. In the 75th minute, Makerlo Tellez met a corner kick with a well-timed strike, leveling the score and silencing the Dewa United supporters.

Despite their numerical advantage, Dewa United struggled to find a winning goal against a resilient Phnom Penh Crown defense. The score remained deadlocked at 1-1 until the final whistle, leaving Dewa United frustrated and Phnom Penh Crown celebrating a hard-earned point on the road in the AFC Challenge League.