The Indonesia U-17 national team is ready to begin their campaign in the 2025 AFC U-17 Asian Cup, which will kick off on Friday (April 4) evening WIB. Ahead of their opening match against South Korea, the Garuda Muda squad has undergone a series of friendly matches as part of their preparations.
Indonesia is placed in Group C alongside Yemen, Afghanistan, and South Korea. In their first match, the team, coached by Nova Arianto, will face the strong South Korean team at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
Preparation in Dubai: Facing Friendlies Against UAE, Iran, and China
Leading up to the 2025 AFC U-17 Asian Cup, Garuda Muda held a training camp both in Indonesia and Dubai. During their time in Dubai, they played three friendly matches as part of their thorough preparations.
In their first match, Indonesia faced the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and the game ended in a 2-2 draw. Next, they faced the strong Iran team on March 29, 2025, but Garuda Muda suffered a 0-2 defeat. Prior to this, Indonesia also played against China, who is in Group A, and narrowly lost 1-2.
A Challenging Group C for Indonesia U-17
The 2025 AFC U-17 Asian Cup is set to be a challenging tournament, especially with Indonesia having to compete against strong teams like South Korea, who were the finalists in the 2023 edition. However, coach Nova Arianto believes that, despite South Korea being the toughest opponent in the group, he is confident that the Indonesian players are ready to face all the challenges ahead.
Coach Nova Arianto’s Statement:
“South Korea will be the toughest opponent in this group. However, I see that the mental, tactical, and strategic preparations of the players are already very good. I hope they can deliver their best performance in the first match,” said Nova Arianto to SBOTOP.
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