Indonesian Team Intensifies Preparation For Asian Cup Cualifier

JAKARTA, Oct 11 (Antara) - The Indonesian under-19 national soccer team in an effort to compete in the Asian Cup qualifier to be held in South Korea from Oct. 31 to Nov. 8, 2017, has been intensifying its preparation for the event. This Indonesian soccer team or popularly called Timnas U-19 in a bid to improve its quality, has undergone two friendly matches namely against the teams of Cambodia and Thailand. Playing against the Cambodian soccer team at the Patriot Chandrabaga stadium in Bekasi, West Java Province on Wednesday night (Oct. 4), the Timnas U-19 defeated the Cambodian squad 2-0. The goals were scored by Rafly Mursalim in the 86th minute and Egy Maulana Vikri in 89th minute. It was not easy for the Timnas U-19 to defeat the Cambodian team. This young Timnas failed to make use of many opportunities to create more goals. Chief coach of the Timnas, Indra Sjafri noted that his team lost at least four opportunities (to score goals) at the first half of the match. According to him, Egy Maulana Vikri and his colleagues had difficulty at the first half of the match after the Cambodian squad featured a full defensive formation almost throughout the game. "As we predicted before, Cambodia makes us difficult, they really understand Indonesia, they have unified defense," the coach disclosed. Variation of attacks was conducted through the left and right wings of the field to produce opportunities that threaten the goal of Cambodia. However, the accuracy of the kicks were often distorted, thus at least four chances (to make goals) wasted. Since the beginning (of the game), which was led by the referee Teetitchai Nuarjan, the Indonesian team showed its domination. On the other hand, with its domination, the Timnas often forget its own defense. Consequently, the opponent made counter attack in the 24th minute when Kadek Raditya passing the ball to goalkeeper Gianluca Rossy, it was then utilized by the Cambodian captain Kiat Timheng to cut the ball and try to break down the goal. Luckily, the Timnas's back player Nurhidayat Haris could move swiftly throwing away the ball that had been pointing in the goal. In the end of the first half, the Timnas also had a golden opportunity to net a goal, however the front players failed to utilize it. At the beginning of the second half, the Cambodian squad continued strengthening its defense to break the attacks of the Timnas. M Rafly then successfully broken the impasse by ripping the net of Cambodia from outside of the penalty box. This goal motivated Egy Maulana Vikri, who then scored the second goal for his team in 89th minute. In the meantime, coach of Cambodian team, Kazuniri Inoue admitted the strength of the Timnas in the friendly game. "Indonesia is too long to control the ball so that my players are exhausted," he stated. According to Inoue, his team tried to launch attack in the second half, but the defense line of Indonesia is very strong. "We continue launching attacks, but Indonesia is good in controlling the ball," he pointed out. Four days after beating the Cambodian team, the Timnas U-19 which has another nickname "the Garuda Nusantara" then defeated Thailand's squad 3-0 on Sunday (Oct 8) also in friendly game. The match was held at Wibawa Mukti Cikarang stadium in Bekasi District, West Java before 38 thousand spectators. In this match, Witan Sulaeman of the Garuda Nusantara's player scored the first goal in the 48th minute. The Timnas' player, Syahrian Abimanyu netted the second goal in the 79th minute. Ten minutes later, Saddil increased the defeat of Thailand to 0-3 after using the pass of the midfielder. Saddil broke through two defenders (of Thailand) and kicked the ball into the left corner of the goal without being able to be driven by Varuth Wongsomsak, Thailand's goalkeeper. The defeat of Thailand seemed contradictory with its victory when playing against the Garuda Nusantara team during the recent ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U-18 Championship in Yangon, Myanmar, in which the Indonesian team lost 2-3 in a Group B. In the game on Friday afternoon (Sept 15, 2017) Thailand emerged victorious after the penalty kicks, when three of Indonesia`s under-19 national soccer team (Timnas U-19) players failed to score the goals. Two Indonesian players who managed to contribute goals in the penalty shootout were Egy Maulana Fikri and Muhammad Luthfi Kamal Baharsyah.