The positive result was nothing more than an illusion because the finishing touch of the “Garuda” team was still problematic.
By
I GUSTI AGUNG BAGUS ANGGA PUTRA
·5 minutes read
HUMAS PSSI
Indonesian national team player Muhammad Ramadhan Sananta celebrates his goal against Brunei Darussalam in the AFF Cup group stage match at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium, Malaysia, Monday (26/12/2022). Indonesia won 7-0 in that match.
KUALA LUMPUR, MONDAY — A landslide 7-0 win over Brunei Darussalam in the second match of the 2022 AFF Cup Group A preliminary round should not make the Indonesian national team complacent.
The positive result was nothing more than an illusion because the finishing touch of the “Garuda” team was still problematic. Indonesia's defense did not really face a test because Brunei was classified as a team whose level was still below Indonesia.
In the match that took place at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium on Monday (26/12/2022), Indonesia dominated the match from the start. Despite rotating almost the entire squad, the “Red and White” team was still too strong for Brunei, which competes in the AFF Cup through qualifying.
Realizing a weaker opponent, Indonesian coach Shin Tae-yong dared to reserve his top players, such as team captain Fachrudin Aryanto and naturalized-player Jordi Amat. Shin also chose to rest Garuda's midfield maestros, Ricky Kambuaya and Marselino Ferdinan, in preparation for facing Thailand on Thursday (29/12), the day after tomorrow.
Witan Sulaeman, who scored one goal against Cambodia in the first match, was also benched by Shin. Witan was replaced by Dendy Sulistyawan. The Bhayangkara FC club player was used as a winger with Egy Maulana Vikri.
The two of them flanked naturalized striker Ilija Spasojevic, who was trusted by Shin as starter. Spaso answered Shin's trust by scoring one goal in the 61st minute. Receiving a cross from Asnawi Mangkualam, Spaso fired a heel kick. which the Brunei goalkeeper failed to anticipate. Syahrian Abimanyu, Dendy, Egy, Muhammad Ramadhan Sananta, Marc Klok and Yakob Sayuri made six more Indonesian goals.
The effectiveness of the finishing touch remains a problem for Indonesia. This weakness was evident when hosting Cambodia.
The Garuda team had difficulty scoring goals in the first half. The bad condition of the grass made the Indonesian players unable to control the ball properly. Several times they seemed to have difficulty controlling and passing the ball amid the tight pressure exerted by the Bruneian players when they tried to grab the ball. The match statistics showed that only 373 of the 444 passes made by Indonesian players were successful.
The effectiveness of the finishing touch remains a problem for Indonesia. This weakness was evident when hosting Cambodia. Shin still needs time to improve the sharpness of the national team players in front of goal. One moment that best showed Indonesia's weaknesses was when central defender Hansamu Yama Pranata failed to score although Brunei's goal was “empty”.
HUMAS PSSI
Indonesian national team player Ilija Spasojevic celebrates his goal against Brunei Darussalam in the AFF Cup group stage match at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium, Malaysia, Monday (26/12/2022). Indonesia won 7-0 in that match.
Receiving a cross from Asnawi, Hansamu kicked the ball over the bar.
The Garuda team won again because the opposing team was Brunei. Throughout the match, the Brunei players barely made goalkeeper Nadeo Agawinata work hard. Brunei only recorded four kicks on target. The ball possession of the team "Suprika" was only 16 percent.
Indonesia also helped because Brunei's right-back, Mohammad Alinur Rashimy Awang Jufri, received a red card after being rewarded with a second yellow card. Superior in the number of players since the 38th minute, Indonesia was able to freely mess up Brunei's defense. In other words, Brunei did not test Indonesia's strength at all.
That is why Indonesia's big win over Brunei is nothing more than an illusion and does not mean there is a sharp increase in weaknesses in the finishing touch. The match statistics show that Shin Tae-yong's team booked 14 shots on target. Of all that, there were seven that were able to be converted into goals.
“Actually, I am confused about what should be improved because Brunei's opponents are weaker than us. However, one thing that must be improved is to be able to score more goals when the opportunity arises,” said Shin.
Therefore, the Indonesian national-team players should not be complacent after picking up this landslide victory. They must realize the real test is waiting in front of their eyes. Thailand, winner of the AFF Cup six times, is of course an opponent whose level is far above Brunei.
Within two days, Shin should improve his team's finishing touch. On the wing line, Indonesia can be proud of Edo Febriansyah's brilliant performance. The left-back from the Rans Nusantara FC club made two assists. Edo's appearance made competition in the Indonesian left-back position even more competitive. In the left-back position, Shin has a major player, namely Pratama Arhan, who was also benched against Brunei.
Yakob was grateful to be able to contribute one goal. Positive results over Brunei are believed to have an impact on the morale and mentality of the national-team players in facing Thailand. "I dedicate this goal to the Indonesian people who continue to support us," said Yakob.
The results of the other match, an additional three points thanks to a 4-0 win over the Philippines made Thailand top Group A. From the two matches, Thailand and Indonesia both collected six points. However, Indonesia is in second place because it lost goal productivity, scoring 9 goals and conceding 1 goal, while Thailand scored 9 goals and has not conceded.
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
