Indonesia U-17 Tests Tactics Against Ivory Coast Ahead of Zambia Match

October 27, 2025 | 10:34 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The U-17 Indonesia national team is set to face Ivory Coast in their second friendly match on Monday, October 27, 2025, at 11:30 PM WIB.

The match is intended to simulate the playing style of Zambia U-17, Indonesia’s Group H opponent in the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup, known for its physicality and fast-paced play.

National football observer Kesit Budi Handoyo said the friendly against Ivory Coast is a strategic move to study the style of African teams.

“Ivory Coast was chosen as the test match opponent because Indonesia will face Zambia, which comes from the same continent,” Kesit told Tempo on Thursday, October 27.

He added that African players typically demonstrate strong individual skills, making this a valuable learning opportunity for the young Garuda squad.

Kesit noted that U-17 national team coach Nova Arianto will use the friendly to experiment with strategies against teams with different characteristics.

“The coach will implement playing strategies suitable for the type of opponents they will face in the World Cup,” he said.

Reflecting on the team’s previous friendly against Paraguay on October 25, which ended in a 1-2 loss, Kesit said the defeat was not a major concern.

“It’s more about focus. Overall, the performance was solid, but the defense still needs discipline to track the opponents’ movements,” he said, referring to the late goal conceded.

He added that players intentionally held back to avoid injuries ahead of the World Cup. “This is just a test match. The players are not overly aggressive to preserve energy and reduce the risk of injury,” Kesit explained.

In the match against Paraguay, Indonesia initially took the lead through Fadly Alberto Hengga, but Paraguay came back with goals from Jose Buhring in the 70th minute and Mauricio De Carvalho in stoppage time (90+2). Paraguay was selected as a test match to prepare the team for facing Brazil, as both opponents share typical South American playing characteristics.

After facing Ivory Coast, the Garuda Muda will conclude their Dubai warm-up series against Panama on Thursday, October 30.

These three friendlies are designed to fine-tune the team’s tactics, focus, and mental readiness ahead of the 2025 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Qatar, which runs from November 3-27. Indonesia is drawn in Group H with Brazil, Honduras, and Zambia.

The top two teams in the group will advance directly to the round of 16, while the four best third-placed teams across all groups can still qualify for the knockout stage.

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