Ahead Of The 2023 SEA Games First Match, Indra Sjafri Reveals The Readiness Of The U-22 Indonesian National Team To Face The Philippines

Indonesia U-22 National Team Coach for the 2023 SEA Games, Indra Sjafri. (Photo: Twitter/@PSSI)

JAKARTA - The U-22 Indonesian national team coach, Indra Sjafri, stated the team's readiness in the inaugural match of the 2023 SEA Games. In the schedule which takes place on Saturday, April 29, the U-22 national team will face the Philippines.

Indra Sjafri expressed readiness because he had formed a team strengthened by players who had passed the training camp. In addition, the experience of the coach who has appeared at the SEA Games several times has also become more valuable.

"This SEA Games for me is the second SEA Games, we came here with a power of 20 players according to regulations and it made us ready to face the tournament," said Indra Sjafri in a statement during a press conference before against the Philippines.

Regarding the location of the 2023 SEA Games held in Cambodia, this is also in the spotlight for Indra Sjafri. This is because he was impressed by the many changes in Cambodia, after the last trip in 2018 at the AFF Cup.

"First, I was very impressed with Cambodia, after I first came in 2018 or 2020 in the AFF U-22 Cup tournament and at that time we won," said Indra.

"The thing that distinguishes is a very good field, where what used to be synthetic is now a very good field," he continued.

Although confident in the team's preparation and impressed by the good changes in Cambodia, the inaugural match against the Philippines will still be an interesting match for Indra Sjafri. He realized the strength of potential opponents but was reluctant to comment, according to him, all opponents must be faced well.

"I can't comment technically on the Philippines, but almost all teams, namely Timor Leste, Myanmar, Cambodia, for Indonesia are opponents who must be responded well. How is the response, wait at 2x45 minutes tomorrow," explained the coach from West Sumatra.