Piala President’s Cup 2025
Si Jalak Harupat, Bandung, Indonesia
Thursday 10 July 2025
Oxford United… 4
(Placheta 6’, Romeny 10’, Snowden 43’, O’Donkor 70’)
Arema FC… 0
Oxford United advanced to the final of the Piala President’s Cup, with a comfortable 4-0 victory over Indonesian side Arema FC.
Gary Rowett’s side easily dismantled last year’s competition winners, with first half goals from Przemyslaw Placheta, Ole Romeny and Leo Snowden, and a second half strike from Gatlin O’Donkor putting the U’s into Sunday’s final against Thai team Port FC.
To call the opening 45 minutes of football eventful would be an understatement. The first piece of action came just minutes into the start of the game, when suddently it all came to a halt.
The Si Jalak Harupat descended into darkness with the stadium floodlights dramatically failing. What started with some humour, quickly became an increasing concern as time continued to tick along with no progress.
Eventually, after a 20 minute break, the lights returned, and we got back underway with the clock restarting at three minutes. And just three minutes later, Placheta burst the game into life as he opened the scoring, grabbing his second of pre-season. Lurking at the back post, the Polish winger controlled Jack Currie’s cross from the left and volleyed across goal and into the bottom corner.
That seemed to spark things in Bandung, as on the 10th minute, the Indonesian people got what they wanted as Romeny doubled the lead. Latching onto a superb ball from Josh Johnson, the local superstar powered a thunderous volley into the top left corner to send all in the stands and those watching at home into raptures.
Unfortunately, it would be his last action of the game as a shocking challenge from Arema striker Paulinho caught the forward’s ankle and forced him off on a stretcher. Remarkably, the challenge went to VAR and the referee only awarded a yellow card rather than a red.
45 minutes gone in real time, only 20 minutes played in the game which seemed to cool down despite the Indonesian side’s attempts to make it a physical battle. Placheta had a couple of opportunities to double his tally for the night, but the third goal eventually arrived with minutes left in the half.
It’s been a good month for Youth Academy graduate Leo Snowden. Just weeks after signing his first professional contract, the 16-year-old was on the flight to the Far East, and in his second appearance of the tour, was now on the scoresheet, easily tapping into an empty net after a fortunate bounce in the attacker’s favour.
A 45 minute first half ended up taking 75, with United up by three goals and cruising into the final at the break.
The second period was a slow start, with a number of changes made at the break, and the tempo certainly slowed down.
The first big opportunity came on the 63rd minute, with substitute Mark Harris rising highest to meet Currie’s cross, but his header crashed off the post.
On the 70th minute, another of the second half changes did get on the scoresheet with a header, with O’Donkor powering the fourth in. Will Vaulks sent the ball in from the right, and the big frame of the youth graduate pushed his marker to one side and done the business from close range.
That would be that, on what was an eventful evening in Indonesia's third largest city. A place in the final now awaits at the same stadium on Sunday evening local time.
Oxford United: Cumming, Kioso (Helik 46’), Moore (McIntyre 76'), Johnson (Lacey 61’), Currie, Brannagan (Vaulks 46’), De Keersmaecker (Griffiths 76'), Placheta (O’Donkor 61’), Snowden (Mills 46’), Romeny (Sibley 16’), Bradshaw (Harris 46’).
