Gold U-22 National Team Glides, Three Goals Are Too Painful
JAKARTA - It should be an oasis amidst the dry achievements of the senior national team and the stains of domestic competition that were hit by the scoring storm. Unfortunately, the U-22 national team has fallen behind in facing Vietnam in the top party of the 2019 SEA Games which was held at the Sadion Rizal Memorial, Manila, Philippines, Tuesday, December 10, evening. Garuda Muda was slaughtered by three goals without reply!
In the midst of a slump in the senior national team's achievements in almost all competitions. And the domestic competition was tarnished by the score-fixing case which resulted in the arrest of several high-ranking PSSI officials by the Anti-Football Mafia Task Force from the National Police, Garuda Muda actually failed to be a savior.
Whereas previously, Indra Sjafri's children were able to become 'dirty room deodorizers' for this country's football. Last February, the U-22 national team took a seat in the AFF Cup which was held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Indra Sjafri's track record is actually quite phenomenal. He has written various gold inks in the history book of national football. It was noted that the racers were able to lead the U-17 and U-18 national teams to win the HFKA Football Invitation Tournament, Hong Kong, in 2012 and 2013 and led the U-19 national team to win at the 2013 AFF Cup.
But, what can I say? The defeat of Vietnam made Garuda Muda fail to repeat the achievements made about three decades ago. Under the tutelage of coach Bertje Matulapelwa, Indonesia successfully defeated Malaysia at the 1987 SEA Games at the GBK Stadium, Senayan, Jakarta with a score of 1-0.
Two years later in the Philippines, coaches Anatoli Polosin, Vladimir Urin, and Danurwindo managed to present gold after at the top of the party Indonesia beat Thailand on penalties (4-3). At that time, those who played in these two events were the senior national team.
However, since 2001, SEA Games football has mimicked the rules applicable in the Asian Games and Olympics, which is specifically for players under 23 years of age, in the last nine editions of the SEA Games, Garuda Muda's best achievement was only being runner up three times in 2011 and 2013 and became semifinalist 2001, 2005, and 2015.
The defeat against Vietnam was indeed better than the achievement of the highly paid coach Luis Milla, who was only able to bring Garuda Muda to win bronze two years ago. However, goals from Doan Van Hau (2) and Do Hung Dunge were too painful for Indonesian football fans to accept. Gold is fixed price!