It's Time for Indonesia U-23 to Heal the Sorrow of World Cup Failure

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — It is undeniable that the failure to qualify for the World Cup has deeply saddened Indonesian football fans. The World Cup, which initially felt so close, is still very far from being reached. Amidst the sorrow, the Indonesia U-23 team could provide some solace if they are able to perform convincingly when facing India in the second meeting of the friendly matches at Madya Stadium on Monday (13/10/2025) at 20:00 WIB.

It is fitting that a sense of gloom envelops Indonesian football after failing to advance further in the World Cup qualifying round. Something that initially felt almost within reach but gradually slipped away will always leave a deep wound. A day after this bitter reality occurred, coincidentally, the Indonesia U-23 team, coached by Indra Sjafri, will attempt to rise from the defeat against India in their first friendly match.

The two matters cannot indeed be compared. The senior national team failed in the prestigious event, the World Cup qualifiers. Meanwhile, the "Young Garuda" is merely undergoing trial matches to select players who will be taken to the SEA Games in Thailand 2025. Nevertheless, if they perform promisingly and manage to defeat India, the Indonesian football public will certainly gain a new sense of pride, thus not being too engulfed in disappointment.

Coincidentally, the players who have joined the training camp in Jakarta are those who have long been educated within the national football ecosystem. The sense of pride in being able to defeat India will certainly be multiplied, considering that the current Garuda Muda squad is filled with local talents, the result of domestic development.

Although it was merely titled a friendly match, the victory over India is important to assess the extent to which Indra's tactics can be implemented by the players. The defeat in the first match is quite understandable as the team is still in the adaptation process, in addition to the limited information regarding India's playing style.

The story was different in the second meeting. Indra could no longer use the excuse of limited information and the shock of India's very aggressive playing style in transition. All the information and resources needed to achieve better results were already at hand.

In addition, the adaptation process of the players must certainly show progress. Losing again would mean that the team has not experienced significant development.

"The first match against India is certainly a time for us to build our chemistry. After this, there will be many evaluations that we need to conduct for the second match later," said Indonesia U-23 central defender, Kadek Arel, after the match on Friday (10/10/2025) night.

Although football is not the most popular sport in India, the team coached by Naushad Moosa has performed more superiorly compared to Indonesia. India's main strength lies in the speed of their two wingers, Muhammed Suhail and Thingujam Korou Singh. Most of India's attacks begin with a transition process, relying on the speed of these two wingers in maneuvering.

Specifically, Moosa praised the "Garuda Muda," which he mentioned had troubled India in the second half. After falling behind by two goals from striker Suhail Ahmad Bhat, Indonesia responded just before the end of the first half with a powerful curling shot from Donny Tri Pamungkas.

"Indonesia is a strong team that excels in ball possession. We come here with a relatively young squad. This trial provides valuable lessons for our team," said Moosa.

After losing in the first meeting, Indra and his coaching staff stated that they would analyze the team's performance. He admitted to being dissatisfied with the final result of the match as well as the players' performances.

"Our analysts will conduct an assessment of the individual actions taken by the players that were incorrect. As a group, we will evaluate what tactical errors were made, and as a team, we will also analyze the tactical mistakes," said Indra.

Indonesia's failure to qualify for the World Cup is indeed disheartening. This situation must be redeemed by the Garuda Muda by delivering an impressive performance against India. Only through this can the sorrow of the Indonesian football public be somewhat alleviated. After all, those playing in this U-23 team are the most likely candidates to represent the senior national team in the near future.