SEAToday.com, Jakarta - The Indonesian U-20 team, Garuda Nusantara, faced a tough challenge in the final match of the Seoul Earth on Us Cup 2024, succumbing to a 0-3 defeat against South Korea at Mokdong Stadium on Sunday, September 1, 2024.
Throughout the tournament, Indonesia secured one victory and suffered two losses. They triumphed 2-1 over Argentina but were defeated 0-2 by Thailand and 0-3 by the host, South Korea.
"First, I want to express my gratitude to the organizers for inviting us to participate in this event. We gained many benefits from all three matches. South Korea, in particular, is a very strong team, both individually and tactically," said coach Indra Sjafri.
Despite the losses, Sjafri noted the team's progress. "Although we lost, the team showed improvement from the first half to the second. There were still mistakes, but the players made significant progress," he added.
Garuda Nusantara is preparing for the AFC U-20 Asian Cup Qualifiers, scheduled from September 25 to 29. Indonesia is in Group F, alongside Yemen, Maldives, and Timor Leste.
"There’s no problem for us, as the match intervals in the AFC U-20 qualifiers will be similar. So, we are well-prepared," Sjafri explained.
Defender Meshaal Osman echoed the coach's sentiments, emphasizing the value of the experience gained. "Thank you for inviting us to this tournament. It has been a great learning experience for us. Today’s match was tough, South Korea played well, and although we lost, we gained valuable experience," said Meshaal.
Writer: Fariz Ahmad Luthfi
