Bend By Mali O-3 In Kandang, Indra Sjafri Ogah Is Equated With Gerald Vanenburg

The coach of the U-23 Indonesian national team, Indra Sjafri. (Ferry T-VOI).

JAKARTA - The coach of the Indonesian U-22 national team, Indra Sjafri, did not want his team to be equalized by the Garuda Muda team, who was coached by Gerald Vanenburg.

Indra's team lost 0-3 to Mali U-22 in a trial match at Pakansari Stadium, Bogor, Saturday, November 15.

This defeat made Indra's Young Garuda never win in three test matches and only scored two goals.

"Yes, of course this team is different from yesterday's team," said Indra at a press conference after the match at Pakansari Stadium, Saturday, was confiscated by Antara.

Previously, Vanenburg's team, which is also inhabited by players chosen by Indra today, failed in the previous two tournaments, namely the ASEAN U-23 Championship (AFF U-23 Cup) and the 2026 U-23 Asian Cup Qualification.

The two teams raised by Vanenburg and Indra have little in common, namely both difficult to score goals.

If Indra's team only scored two goals in three test matches, Vanenburg's team failed to score in four of their eight games.

Vanenburg's side failed to score for two U-23 ASEAN matches, one of which occurred when they lost 0-1 to Vietnam in the final.

In the U-23 Asian Cup Qualification, Garuda Muda's front line against Laos and South Korea made them fail to reach the finals.

"Differences from players too. There are many differences. There are several Abroad players who enter, namely Ivar, Mauro. So I think that yesterday's qualifying match certainly can't be a measure," said Indra.

"And it can't be compared to waiting for the quality we face at the SEA Games, it's not like this, it can't be the answer. The important thing is that we are fighting the teams whose quality is good, how many things we don't respond to," he continued.

"What we have to improve in terms of productivity is how many chances but not goals, maybe those are things we really have to fix," he added.

Indra realized defeat was the best teacher to keep his team growing towards the 2025 SEA Games played in Thailand next month.

He believes that in the SEA Games his team will play a better game than against Mali, especially if they can finally play three players who have careers abroad, Ivar Jenner and Mauro Zijlstra, and Marselino Ferdinand who have not joined the training camp.

"When asked about the presentation from the players who played earlier, it was almost 90-80 percent, I think they will or have the right to be the team squad. If the eleven (first) were yes," said Indra, answering what percentage of his players deserved to enter the final squad from the first match against Mali.