Young Garuda Beware of Cambodian “Terror”

KOMPAS/I GUSTI AGUNG BAGUS ANGGA PUTRA

The right-wing striker for the U-22 Indonesian football team, M Fajar Fathurrahman, dribbles with two Myanmar players overshadowed in a match at the National Olympic Stadium, Thursday (4/5/2023).

PHNOM PENH, KOMPAS — The Cambodian U-22 football team is expected to go all out when it meets Indonesia in their last Group A match at the SEA Games 2023 at 7 p.m. Western Indonesian Time on Wednesday (10/5/2023). While the noise from thousands of home fans will be an off-pitch factor that the Young Garuda must contend with, on pitch, coach Indra Sjafri looks likely to field a much-changed player lineup with a view to allowing key players enough time to rest for next matches.

Apart from having the upper hand over Cambodia in their SEA Games meetings, the Young Garuda must be on high alert. Cambodia has never defeated Indonesia in their seven previous encounters at the SEA Games, conceding 29 goals and scoring only two against Indonesia.

Its inferior track record aside, the home team is expected to put on a high-spirited game, seeking a win in order to stand a chance at qualifying for the semifinals. For Indonesia, it will be a different game against a different crop of Cambodian players from their previous meeting a few years ago, with tens of thousands of home supporters packing the National Olympic Stadium in Phnom Penh.

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Indonesian skipper Rizky Ridho seemed aware of the threat posed by the home side but refused to be concerned over it. He believed the team would be able to cope with the “terror” from the audience and perform optimally.

“We are concerned more about our own preparations rather than thinking about the home team’s [off-pitch factor]. We are even more fired up because many spectators will come, and of course I hope we win again," he said.

DOKUMENTASI PSSI

Indonesian U-22 football team player Witan Sulaeman kicks a ball during the first training session at The Dream Visakha Training CAMP, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday (26/4/2023).

It is most likely that Indra will make major changes in the lineup, with Indonesia assured of a ticket to the semifinals. Indonesia has won all three matches to earn a perfect 9 points, scoring 11 goals and conceding none. Indra said he was still looking for the ideal starting lineup for the semifinals against either Thailand or Vietnam.

“What is important for the players now is to improve their game. There is still one more game before the semifinals, and we will look for the right players. There are two or three positions where we still want to find the right players," he said. The fact that different lineups were fielded for the previous matches showed he was still dissatisfied with the team’s play. With Indonesia currently topping Group A as the most productive team, the Cambodian match will have no bearing on the team’s advancement to the next stage.

For Cambodia, currently in third place with 4 points, a win over Indonesia may not necessarily pave their way through to the semifinals. Its fate will still depend on the result of the match between Myanmar and the Philippines. If the win goes to Myanmar, which currently has 6 points, it will be heading to the semifinals.

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Indra’s planned rotation will focus on two to three positions he views as still not faring optimally. He has consistently applied the 4-1-2-3 formation from the start of the group matches. While the players on the front and back lines have been generally the same from match to match, those in the midfield are still subject to his experimentation.

He fielded a lineup with different players in three matches. Against the Philippines, Indra played a combination of Ananda Raehan Alif, Beckham Putra Nugraha and Marselino Ferdinan. In the second match against Myanmar, the three-strong midfield saw Alfeandra Dewangga, Marselino and Muhammad Taufany Muslihuddin in play.

Only Marselino looks to have gained Indra’s trust to marshal the midfield, as the member of Belgium’s second-division club KMSK Deinze, was again the coach’s first choice to accompany Dewangga and Raehan Alif in the third match against Myanmar.

DOKUMENTASI PSSI

The center forward of the U-22 Indonesian football team, Muhammad Ramadhan Sananta, tries to block the Filipino players who are trying to grab the ball from his feet. Indonesia won 3-0 over the Philippines at the National Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday (29/4/2023)

Dewangga, who plays as a libero, had been shifted to a defensive midfielder, allowing another player to take over his position in tandem with Rizky Ridho. Raehan Alif, who has the ability to intercept the opponent’s attacks, is still being tested by Indra on playing farther ahead.

“It’s a gradual process to become the champion. We have arranged [the plan] periodically for three stages. After the group stage, next are the semifinals and the final. The game plan must be worked out appropriately for each stage. For the fourth match [the last group match], changing the team [lineup] is certain,” he said.

Saving energy for later

Changing the composition of the starting lineup by resting key players is believed to be the right strategy, as a much tougher test awaits the team in the semifinals. Indonesia will face either Thailand or Vietnam, after their last encounter decides the Group B winner.

With Indonesia having only three days of rest, the energy-saving strategy will give optimal preparation for the semifinals. It sould also be carried out to prevent key players from being injured during the match against Cambodia.

About the team’s next opponent in the semifinals, Indra declined to mention his preference.

With Indonesia having only three days of rest, the energy-saving strategy will give optimal preparation for the semifinals.

Based on the results of the Group B matches, Thailand and Vietnam have relatively the same strength. Like Indonesia, both have booked three wins and conceded two goals each, but Thailand appeared to be more productive in scoring, with nine goals compared to Vietnam’s seven.

With goal productivity as a parameter, Thailand has attacking power that is similar to Indonesia’s. However, Thailand’s goals came at the expense of relatively better teams with the group being dubbed “hell”. This has made Group B more competitive. Apart from Thailand and Vietnam, whose senior teams are regular champions in Southeast Asia, Group B consists of Malaysia, Singapore and Laos.

This article was translated by Musthofid.