Indonesia Qualifies For The 2025 U-20 Asian Cup After A 1-1 Draw Against Yemen

Indonesian national team footballer U-20 Jens Raven (left) kicked the ball that was trying to be driven away by Yaman U20 national team footballer Saeed Abdullah (left second) and Ahmed PHOTO/Dhemas Reviyanto/app/YU (ANTARA PHOTO/DHEMAS REVIYANTO)

JAKARTA - The U-20 Indonesian national team qualified for the 2025 U-20 Asian Cup finals after drawing 1-1 against Yemen U-20 in the third match of the qualifying round at the Bung Karno Intermediate Stadium (GBK), Jakarta, Sunday night.

In this match, as quoted from Antara, the Indonesian national team coach U-20 Indra Sjafri made two changes by including Muhamad Ragil and Figo Dennis from the start to replace Arlyansyah Abdulmanan and Riski Afrisal.

The match that determines who topped the group and qualified automatically for the 2025 U-20 Asian Cup finals was fierce from the start. Yemen started the attack in the 12th minute through a long-range kick. However, it was still well saved by the Indonesian goalkeeper, Ikram Algiffari.

Eight minutes later, Indonesia responded through a free kick opportunity obtained by the captain Dony Tri Pamungkas. The Persija Jakarta player's shot headed right into the Yemeni goal. However, their goalkeeper, Wadhah Anwar Ahmed, was still quick to save the kick.

After that, the two teams traded attacks against each other, but none of them resulted in goals.

In the end, in extra time, Jens Raven broke the deadlock to put Indonesia ahead in the 45+1 minute. Raven scored after using a pass from Muhamad Ragil who provided feedback from the right.

The 18-year-old striker's shot was not so fast, but the angle in the direction managed to make Wadhah die.

At the time of the first half match it will end with a score of 1-0, Garuda Muda missed. Starting from a misappropriation that was not optimal, the ball fell at the feet of a Yemeni player.

Abdulrahman Al-Khadher Abdulnabi, who stood free in front of the penalty box and then took a first time kick which Ikram couldn't stop in the 45+3 minute. The score changed to 1-1 and lasted until halftime.

Entering the second half, Indra made a quick change by replacing four of his players, Mufli Hidayat, Aditya Warman, Figo Dennis, and Muhamad Ragil, to be replaced by Arlyansyah Abdulmanan, Riski Afrisal, Sulthan Zaki Pramana, and Fandi Bagus Pamungkas.

This substitution of players changed the formation which was originally 3-5-2, to a change to a 3-4-3 formation.

However, this change in formation did not go so smoothly. The game is still unchanged. During the first 30 minutes, Indonesia still had difficulty breaking down Yemen's defenses, as well as Yemen.

Until the referee blew the long whistle signaling the end of the match, no additional goals were created. The 1-1 score lasted until the end of the match.

This draw is enough to make Indonesia qualify for the 2025 U-20 Asian Cup finals to be played in China on 6-23 February 2025 because they top the final standings of Group F with seven points, ahead of goal difference from Yemen in second place.

The following is the line-up for the two teams:

Indonesia U-20: Ikram Algiffari, Kadek Arel Priyatna, Alfharezzi Buffon, Meshaal Hamzah, Iqbal Gwijangge, Dony Tri Pamungkas, Aditya Warman, Mufli Hidayat, Figo Dennis, Toni Firmansyah, Muhamad Ragil, Jens Raven.

Coach: Indra Sjafri.

Yemen U-20: Wadhah Anwar Ahmed, Anwar Hussein Al-Turaiqi, Mohammed Naji Al-Qashimi, Haithm Faisal Al-Salami, Abdulaziz Awadh Masnom, Abdulrahman Al-Khadher Abdulnabi, Saeed Abdullah Al-Shaban, Ahmed Mustafa Al-Hajj, Mohammed Khaled Moqbel, Adel Abbas Qasem, Abdullah Khaled Haidan.

Coach: Mohamed Hasan Ali Albaadani.