Indonesia U-17 Meeting With Mali U-17 In The 2025 Independence Cup Becomes A Securities Moment

The U-17 Indonesian national team learned an important lesson from meeting a team like Mali U-17 in the 2025 Independence Cup (doc. Indonesian national team).

JAKARTA - The U-17 Indonesian national team completed the 2025 Independence Cup with runner-up status after meeting Mali U-17 in the final. Responding to the match, Nova Arianto as the coach said the meeting with Mali was a valuable rare moment.

In the final at the Main Stadium of North Sumatra, Monday, August 18, 2025, the match ended 2-1 for Mali's victory. This defeat made the U-17 Indonesian national team in second place.

However, after the match Nova Arianto assessed that the meeting against Mali was a rare opportunity that the U-17 Indonesian national team could get.

"For today, once again I thank the players because at the beginning I spoke we were very enthusiastic, we were very enthusiastic in facing the match against Mali."

"I convey that this is a rare thing to be able to meet with Mali. Trials like the Mali team's class are very, very useful for us."

"So, we can learn so that in the future we can be even better," said Nova Arianto in a statement after the match, quoted on Tuesday, August 19, 2025.

Nova's impression was revealed for no reason. The reason is that the opponents of the U-17 Indonesian national team in the 2025 Independence Cup are teams that have better quality so they can provide valuable lessons for their foster children.

"We can see quality, Mali, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan very, very well. I am very happy that we have learned a lot and finally we can evaluate in the future so that it can be even better," Nova said.

Nova also thanked PSSI for facilitating the U-17 Indonesian national team to get a trial match through the 2025 Independence Cup.

"I thank PSSI, yes. PSSI for facilitating us by conducting quality trials because of course players really need them to continue learning and continue to develop so that they can be ready later in the 2025 U-17 World Cup," said Nova.