SEA Games 2023 Final Preview Indonesia Vs Thailand: Dahaga 32 Years Ended Or Instead Continued?

The U-22 Indonesian national team will face Thailand in the 2023 SEA Games final, Tuesday, May 16. (Photo: Twitter/@PSSI)

JAKARTA - The U-22 Indonesian national team will face Thailand in the 2023 SEA Games final, Tuesday, May 16. This is an opportunity for the Red and White squad to end the 32-year-old curse without a gold medal at the biennial grand event.

The Indonesian national team last got the opportunity to appear in the final, namely at the 2019 SEA Games in the Philippines.

If in the Philippines you have to face Vietnam in the top party and only satisfied with a silver medal. Now the Garuda Muda national team at the 2023 SEA Games Cambodia must face Thailand at the Phnom Penh Olympic Stadium, Tuesday at 19.30 WIB.

This match is worth waiting for Southeast Asian football lovers. For Indonesia, this moment can be used to relieve the thirst for gold after being last achieved at the 1991 SEA Games Manila.

As for Thailand, qualifying for this final is also an opportunity to restore glory after two editions of the SEA Games failed to win gold. The team nicknamed the Young War Elephant last won gold at the 2017 Malaysia SEA Games.

Seeing the opportunity, the Indonesian U-22 national team clearly will not let go of this opportunity. The careful preparation was made by Indra Sjafri's team before undergoing the top match of the biennial multi-event championship.

"We are committed to the players, we will give our best or be our best game," said Indra Sjafri excitedly, as reported by Antara.

In order to achieve maximum results, one day before this crucial match, the Garuda Muda national team conducted a closed training at The Dream Visakha Training Camp Phnom Penh field. This condition is clearly used to strengthen the strategy against Thailand.

In the top match that has been waiting for, the Indonesian national team certainly did not go down with full strength because there was one player who was confirmed absent, namely Pratama Arhan, who became the creator of two goals when Indonesia won 3-2 over Vietnam in the semifinals.

The player who is currently playing in the second caste team of the Japanese League had to be absent because he got a red card during the 2023 SEA Games semifinal match, but coach Indra Sjafri admitted that he had no problem with this.

According to Indra Sjafri, 20 players including Pratama Arhan are Indonesia's best footballers at their age. Thus the players who are brought with their abilities are evenly distributed and are now ready to be deployed against Thailand.

"Including Pratama Arhan, he is in good condition. But according to regulations he cannot play (red card). So we have 19 players in power, all of whom are ready to be deployed," said the coach from West Sumatra.

A number of players are ready to fill the position of Pratama Arhan, who is known to have a deadly deep throw. For example, the name Haykal Al Hafiz, who was already the core team against Cambodia in the Group A phase or could rely on Rio Fahmi who was also no less in flight hours.

Indonesia's qualifying for the 2023 SEA Games final is in accordance with the stages launched by coach Indra Sjafri. Now, the Garuda Muda national team has entered the top stage, namely the final and it remains only to realize the target by bringing gold home to the country.

The man who is also PSSI's Technical Director divided the journey of the Garuda Muda national team into several stages. The first stage is in the group phase, which is the goal of the best formation and the next stage is the semifinal and final phase.

For the group stage, Indonesia performed brilliantly by winning four consecutive wins, namely 3-0 over the Philippines, 5-0 over Myanmar, 3-0 over Timor Leste and winning 2-1 over host Cambodia. Vietnam became a victim in the semifinals with 3-2.

In the semifinal phase, the Indonesian U-22 national team came down with the best formation, namely Ernando Ari (PG); Rizky Ridho, Komang Teguh, Amiruddin Bagas Kaffa, Pratama Arhan; Alfeandra Dewangga, Ananda Raehan, Marselino Ferdinand; Witan Sulaeman, Muhammad Fajar Fathur Rahman, Ramadan Sananta.

Satu langkah menuju puncak tertinggi! ⭐Tim U-22 Indonesia akan melakoni laga final kontra Thailand pada gelaran SEA Games 2023, malam ini.Tuntaskan, Garuda Nusantara! 🦅#KitaGaruda #TimnasDay pic.twitter.com/bx0eHU7LEy

— PSSI (@PSSI) May 16, 2023

One step to the highest peak! Indonesian U-22 Team will play the final match against Thailand at the 2023 SEA Games, tonight. Complete, Garuda Nusantara! # KitaGaruda #TimnasDay pic.twitter.com/bx0eHU7LEy

For the final match, the formation has the opportunity not to change too much. Only Pratama Arhan's position must be replaced. However, Indra Sjafri does not need to be dizzy because he has a lot of talented players who can play in many positions.

Possibly in the match against Thailand, coach Indra Sjafri fielded Ernando Ari (PG); Bagas Kaffa, Rizky Ridho, Komang Teguh, Rio Fahmi, Muhammad Taufany, Alfeandra Dewangga; Witan Sulaeman, Marselino Ferdinand, Fajar Fathur Rahman, Ramadhan Sananta.

This formation is most likely right to face the pace of Thailand, which is currently being trained by Issara Sritaro. Mental toughness and guts must really be the strength of the Garuda Muda squad in order to be able to appear as the best at the 2023 SEA Games in Cambodia.

In this top match, it is possible that Thailand will compete with the formation of Soponwit Rakyart (PG); Bukkorre Lamdee, Songchai Tongcham, Jakkrapong Sanmahung, Chatmongkol Rueangthanarot; Arifin Doloh; Channrong Promsrikaew, Purachet Thodsanid, Leon James, Yotsakorn Burapha; Teerasak Poeiphimai.

The following is the record for Indonesia vs Thailand meeting in the SEA Games final:

1. SEA Games 1991: Indonesia 0-0 (4-3) Thailand (finals)2. SEA Games 1997: Indonesia 1-1 (2-4) Thailand (finals)3. SEA Games 2013: Indonesia 0-1 Thailand (finals)4. SEA Games 2023: Indonesia vs Thailand (finals)