Indonesia U-20 Team Face Consecutive Losses, Indra Sjafri Calls It Beneficial

The Indonesia U-20 national team suffered a second consecutive defeat in the 2025 U-20 Challenge Series, with Syria defeating them 2-0 at Gelora Delta Sidoarjo Stadium on Monday night (January 27). Despite the loss, coach Indra Sjafri remained focused on the bigger picture, emphasizing that the team had gained valuable insights into what they would face in the upcoming 2025 U-20 Asian Cup in China next month.

Previously, the U-20 team had also lost 1-0 to Jordan, who played with only ten men. These results dashed their hopes of becoming champions, and highlighted the team's struggles with finishing chances, as they failed to score in both matches.

Indra Sjafri mentioned that the two matches against Jordan and Syria had been highly beneficial for the team, stating that while all players performed well, there were areas to improve, particularly in team dynamics and tactics, which ultimately led to the two goals conceded. He noted that their approach had been offensive, though Syria’s quick transitions from defense to attack had proven challenging.

He added that there were many lessons to be learned from these encounters, particularly in understanding the level of competition they would face in the upcoming Asian Cup.
The U-20 team still has one more match left in the tournament before turning their focus entirely to the Asian Cup. They will play against India on Thursday (January 30) at Gelora Delta Sidoarjo Stadium.