Indonesia U-23 Coach Seeks Strong Opponent for November FIFA Matchday

6 hours ago 3

October 25, 2025 | 04:40 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The coach of the U-23 Indonesian national team, Indra Sjafri, is seeking strong opponents for the upcoming FIFA Matchday games in November 2025. These matches will be part of the team's preparations for the SEA Games in Thailand 2025.

According to Indra, the friendly matches will be used to comprehensively evaluate the team's strength, including its tactics, mentality, and cohesion. He stated, "This is not just a friendly match, but it is a crucial part of the process of shaping a solid team that is ready to compete in actual tournaments," as quoted in a statement received in Jakarta on Saturday, October 25, 2025.

Indra emphasized that the international matches in the friendly agenda are not merely for friendship; they are a strategic part of the ongoing, continuous training program conducted by the coaching staff. He mentioned that these two games will be designed as integrated competitive simulations aligned with the training process and player performance evaluations.

"We will use these matches to assess the team's overall strength, including tactics, mentality, and player cohesion," stated the coach from West Sumatra.

Following the two friendlies against the India U-23 national team last October, the coaching staff is currently selecting the next potential opponents. "We will discuss with the PSSI (Indonesian Football Association) General Secretary, the National Team Board, and the Technical Director to determine the most suitable opponents for our needs, as the quality and character of the opponents significantly affect the effectiveness of our preparations," Indra explained.

Previously, the Indonesian U-23 national team played two friendly matches against India at the Madya Stadium, Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta. In the first meeting on Friday, October 10, Garuda Muda lost 1-2. In the second game, they drew 1-1.

Indra ensured that all preparation aspects are progressing as planned, including player evaluations and strengthening of playing patterns. He emphasized that the main goal of the FIFA Matchday games is not only to win but to achieve the best performance leading up to the biennial Southeast Asian tournament.

Through thorough preparations and the selection of suitable opponents, Indra hopes that the Young Garuda squad will be competitive at the SEA Games in Thailand 2025, which will be held in December.

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