
The Indonesian U-17 national team has successfully made history by occupying second position in the 2025 U-17 Asian Cup standings. The impressive performance and hard work of the young Indonesian players have brought them to a very strategic position, opening up a great opportunity to go further in the most prestigious competition for that age level. Under the guidance of coach Indra Sjafri, Garuda Muda displayed a game full of enthusiasm, high technique, and mature strategy.
A Brilliant Journey in the Preliminary Round
Indonesia’s steps towards second position in the standings were not easy. In the group stage, Indonesia was in a tough group, facing strong teams such as Japan, South Korea, and Thailand. However, the young Indonesian players performed fearlessly, showing their best abilities in every match.
In the first match, Indonesia managed to hold South Korea to a 1-1 draw, a result that was beyond many people’s expectations. With solid defense and fast counterattacks, Indonesia was able to steal a point from one of Asia’s main powers at the junior level. Indonesia’s goal was scored by a talented young striker, Muhammad Rifki, who managed to take advantage of the negligence of the South Korean back line.
In the second match, Indonesia successfully achieved a crucial victory over Thailand with a score of 2-0. The two winning goals were scored by the team captain, Rizky Fajar, and the agile winger, Ardiansyah Putra, who performed brilliantly throughout the match. This victory brought Indonesia closer to the top of the standings, confirming their position as one of the teams to be reckoned with in this tournament.
Although in the third match Indonesia had to admit Japan’s superiority with a narrow score of 0-1, their performance was still appreciated by many football observers. This defeat did not make Indonesia’s position shift too far in the standings, remaining in second place below Japan who performed perfectly in the group phase.
Garuda Muda’s Strength: A Combination of Fast Attacks and Solid Defense
Indonesia’s success in occupying second place in the standings cannot be separated from the brilliant strategy of coach Indra Sjafri. He managed to concoct a team that has a balance between attack and defense. In the back line, Indonesia’s central defender duo, Andika Pratama and Farhan Aulia, performed solidly, repelling the opponent’s attacks well. Meanwhile, in the front line, Indonesia has speed and creativity through the wing play played by Ardiansyah Putra and Fajar Maulana.
Indonesia’s main goalkeeper, Ahmad Fauzi, also deserves appreciation for the crucial saves he made. Fauzi’s performance greatly helped Indonesia in gaining important points in every match. Not only that, the compactness between the lines and the high fighting spirit of the players are one of the key factors in their success in this tournament.
Opportunity to Advance to the Next Round
By occupying second place in the standings, Indonesia has a great opportunity to advance to the quarter-finals. The remaining one group stage match will be the decider, but with the performance that has been shown, Garuda Muda has high confidence to go further. Coach Indra Sjafri emphasized that his team will continue to focus and will not underestimate their opponents in the next match.
“The boys have worked hard and given their best. We will continue to fight to bring Indonesia further in this tournament,” said Indra Sjafri in an interview session after the match against Japan. Full support from the Indonesian people is expected to provide additional enthusiasm for the U-17 national team in their journey in the 2025 Asian Cup. With the great potential possessed by these young players, high optimism surrounds the hope that Garuda Muda can carve out more brilliant achievements in the future.