Indonesia U-23 Won't Be Fooled by the Philippines' Cleverness

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The skills of the players are just one of the many factors that determine the final outcome of a match. The Philippines may not have many great players, but they were able to play cleverly when they defeated Malaysia in the first match of Group A in the ASEAN U-23 Championship. Indonesia must anticipate the cleverness of the Philippines to facilitate their ambition to advance to the knockout stage.

Indonesia U-23 and the Philippines both achieved positive results in their first match. The Philippines caused a surprise by defeating Malaysia, one of the favorites, with a score of 0-2.

In another match, Indonesia celebrated an eight-goal victory without reply against Brunei Darussalam. The two winners from this first match will meet at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, on Friday (18/7/2025) at 20:00 WIB.

Under the guidance of new coach Garrath McPherson, the Philippines has transformed into a clever and efficient team. They do not dominate the course of the match but are able to score two goals by taking advantage of the lapses during the transition phase of the "Malayan Tigers." There are at least three Filipino players who have the potential to trouble Indonesia, namely Uriel Dalapo, Otu Abang Banatao, and Jacutin Mariona.

The three of them formed a special combination when defeating Malaysia. Dalapo skillfully detected gaps in the opponent's defense. Meanwhile, Banatao had a sharp finishing ability, scoring two goals against Malaysia. Additionally, Mariona frequently troubled the Malaysian defense with his maneuvers.

McPherson stated that his team is motivated to achieve victory against more favored teams such as Indonesia and Malaysia. The victory over Malaysia is a testament for the Philippines that they also deserve to be favored to advance to the knockout stage.

"Every victory is always important. We want to prove ourselves. It will certainly be interesting after we succeed in winning. We must recover as quickly as possible for the next match," he said.

Competing against Indonesia in front of its supporters will always be a difficult task for opponents. McPherson is aware of this and feels challenged to achieve a positive result. Although reinforced by seven players from the university league, McPherson stated that his players have prepared themselves to face the pressure of the home crowd.

"We will just have to wait and see (how the pressure from Indonesian supporters will be), we certainly look forward to it. We have players who are experienced in facing this situation," said McPherson.

The Philippine players tend to be passive when the opponents build their attacks from the back. They only begin to apply pressure when the ball enters their own playing area. When attacking, McPherson employs a 4-3-3 formation, but it immediately shifts to a 4-4-2 upon losing the ball.

McPherson's background as a video analyst contributes to the ingenuity of the Philippine players in facing opponents with superior player quality. Choosing not to press Malaysia, which often initiates attacks from the back, is the best option. The Philippines often waits for Malaysian players to advance, allowing them to exploit the space between the defenders and the goalkeeper when launching counterattacks.

In this scheme, Mariona and Dalapo, who are fast on their feet, became the mainstay of the attack. Their ability to penetrate played a crucial role in defeating Malaysia.

"We are preparing to face the Philippines. We want to earn points and win. This is not easy, but we must try," said Indonesia U-23 Coach, Gerald Vanenburg.

The match against the Philippines will be the true benchmark for Garuda Muda under Vanenburg's leadership. The resounding victory of 8-0 against Brunei in the first match cannot fully reflect Indonesia's level of maturity due to Brunei's quality, which is still far below.