Central Line Has A Keropos, Indonesia U-23 Could Have Difficulty In The AFF U-23 Cup Semifinals

Arkhan Fikri, one of the Indonesian U-23 players who is doubtful about playing in the 2025 AFF U-23 Cup semifinals (Instagram/@arkhanfikri).

JAKARTA - The U-23 Indonesian national team managed to qualify for the 2025 AFF U-23 Cup semifinals. However, along with this good news, Arkan Fikri as the mainstay midfielder for Garuda Muda actually had a chance to miss the important party.

Arkhan Fikri was already sidelined when the U-23 Indonesian national team was detained by Malaysia U-23 without a goal in the last match of Group A. The absence of Arema FC players made it difficult for Garuda Muda's midfield.

The second line of Indonesia U-23 looks like it has no creativity and is difficult to regulate the tempo so it is always in a hurry to build attacks.

The U-23 Indonesian national team coach, Gerald Vanenburg, admitted that he really lost Arkhan Fikri. The Dutch coach also could not confirm when Arkhan would return to play, especially in the semifinals.

"About Arkhan, we have to wait because he will undergo an MRI in the next one or two days."

"However, I hope everything is fine. Now, I can't talk much because I don't know how his condition is," said Gerald Vanenburg, quoted Tuesday, July 22, 2025.

Meanwhile, on a different occasion, PSSI General Chair Erick Thohir said that Arkhan Fikri's injury had the opportunity to make him miss the 2025 AFF U-23 Cup.

"We are still waiting to see if his injury causes him (Arkhan Fikri) not to be able to play in this tournament."

"If we don't play, yes, we lose the midfield. As we can see, even though the midfield is good, finishing is missing in front," said Erick Thohir.

Apart from Arkhan Fikri, the midfield of Indonesia U-23 is also likely to become more crippled if Toni Firmansyah cannot appear in the semifinals.

The midfielder is also still being monitored for the next few days.

"I saw Toni (Firmansyah) too. I don't know what the news is like. If it turns out that Tony won't be able to play later, this will also become a shortage in midfield," said the PSSI chairman again.

The U-23 Indonesian national team is still waiting for potential opponents in the last four. When this news was revealed, the matches of Thailand U-23 vs Myanmar U-23 and Vietnam U-23 vs Cambodia U-23 were still ongoing.

The two parties will determine the two teams that will advance to the semifinals of the 2025 AFF U-23 Cup.