JAKARTA - The Indonesian national team coach, Shin Tae-yong, revealed his reason for appointing Elkan Baggot to play in the striker position against Japan. The decision was quite surprising considering Baggot is a center-back player.
Shin Tae-yong included Baggott in the 73rd minute replacing Egy Maulana Fikri who was injured. Instead of surviving, the Ipswich Town player acted as the spearhead.
At that time, the Garuda squad was 0-3 behind Japan.
When Baggott entered the field, questions began to stick out. However, Shin Tae-yong apparently had his own reasons.
He said that deliberately tuning Baggot up front as another plan to find loopholes in Japan's weaknesses.
"Although the Japanese level of appearance was very high, we tried to take their weakness about height," Shin Tae-yong said in a statement after the match.
"The relationship with the upper balls. That's the reason I put Baggott as a striker," he said.
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Baggott's entry was indeed able to change the Indonesian national team's playing style a little. Several times the long pass was deliberately directed at Baggott, but the Blue Samurai solid defense was able to reduce this strategy.
Baggott's only chance was when he received a throw-in ball by Pratama Arhan.
Although his header was not perfect, Sandy Walsh was able to secure the wild ball before scoring a goal in the second half injury time.
The Indonesian national team lost points after losing 1-3 in the final match of Group D of the 2023 Asian Cup at Al Thumama Stadium, Wednesday, January 24, 2024.
The Garuda Squad can advance to the last 16 so steeply. The Red-White team is currently on the fourth round of the best third-placed standings or the final position of the knockout phase ticket.
The defeat to Japan resulted in a goal difference between the Garuda Squad minus three. The fate of the Indonesian national team will be determined through the results of the remaining two matches between Oman vs Kyrgyzstan and Bahrain vs Jordan which will be held on Thursday, January 25, 2024, evening WIB.
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