Indonesian team causes concern
“I never said there was no goal,” Mr. Erick Thohir emphasized when answering the Indonesian press on December 20, after the Indonesian team fell 2 places in the FIFA rankings in December 2024 (from 125th to 127th in the world ), due to poor results in Group B of the AFF Cup 2024 (ASEAN Championship).
The Indonesian team is competing in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, but is having very difficult matches at the AFF Cup.
“The Indonesian team must maximize each match to gain points to increase the FIFA ranking, including the matches at the AFF Cup. I have never said that there is no goal. We won against Myanmar (1-0), drew with Laos 3-3, and lost to Vietnam (0-1). These results are not enough, no matter what lineup we play with. The goal is always to win. Every experiment must be maximized and must have results,” Mr. Erick Thohir affirmed.
The PSSI President also gave a direct order to coach Shin Tae-yong: “In the decisive match with the Philippines (at 8 p.m. on December 21), we must win. The Indonesian team must reach the semi-finals of the AFF Cup. We want the team to compete with every team at every level in the world. Being first or second in the group is not important, the important thing is to reach the semi-finals. I always have a specific goal for the Indonesian team, never without one.”
In Group B of the AFF Cup 2024, after 3 matches, except for the officially eliminated Laos team (having played all 4 matches), the remaining teams still have a chance to continue, including the Vietnamese team holding the top position in the group with 7 points and a goal difference of +4, the Indonesian and Myanmar teams ranked next with 4 points and a goal difference of 0. The Indonesian team ranked higher thanks to a better head-to-head record, beating Myanmar 1-0. The remaining team, the Philippines, ranked 4th with 3 points.
In the final match, the Vietnamese team will decide their place in the next round and the top spot in the group if they draw or win against Myanmar at 8:00 p.m. on December 21 at Viet Tri Stadium in Phu Tho Province. The Indonesian team will also decide their place in the next round if they win against the Philippines.
Quang Hai scored the only goal to help the Vietnamese team beat Indonesia 1-0 on December 15.
The Indonesian team and coach Shin Tae-yong are under a lot of pressure, because they have not won in two consecutive matches recently, in which they let Laos draw 3-3 at home and then lost 0-1 to Vietnam.
The nearly one-week break after three consecutive group stage matches could be a mental boost for coach Shin Tae-yong and his team to calm down and prepare for the crucial match against the Philippines, who had an impressive performance in a 1-1 draw with Vietnam on December 18.
Coach Shin Tae-yong himself also admitted that the Indonesian team needs a better performance than the last 3 matches, and must win against the Philippines as the first task. Before that, wait for the result of the match between Vietnam and Myanmar taking place at the same time, to know whether they can enter the AFF Cup semi-finals or not and whether they will be first or second in the group.
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