Netizens Critic After The U-17 Indonesian National Team Failed To Go To The 2023 Asian Cup, Bima Sakti: We Ask Players To Respond All Positively

The coach of the U-17 Bima Sakti national team (Photo: Antara)

JAKARTA - The coach of the Indonesian national team U-17 Bima Sakti apologized and was ready to accept criticism after failing to bring his team to qualify for the U-17 Asian Cup next year.

The U-17 Indonesian national team will certainly not play in the 2023 U-17 Asian Cup after losing 1-5 to Malaysia in the last Group B qualifying phase match at Pakansari Stadium, Cibinong, Sunday, October 9 evening WIB.

"I apologize to all Indonesian football lovers for this unsatisfactory result," said the 46-year-old tactician after the match.

Despite the many appreciations given to the Garuda Muda squad during this qualification, this failure still made Bima Sakti and her squad harvest various criticisms on social media networks.

However, the coach considered it natural for them to receive such criticism. He also hopes that his team will not be affected and be able to accept this gracefully.

"I think [criticism] is natural. We ask the players to respond positively to everything. I hope the players are not affected," said Bima Sakti, as reported by Antara.

The defeat to Malaysia made Indonesia finish as runners up in Group B with a collection of nine points or a difference of one point from Malaysia which was at the top.

Indonesia could not get tickets as one of the six best runner-up teams due to insufficient goal difference. In the runner-up standings, Garuda Muda occupies the seventh place or one place behind Laos that has escaped.