The Young Garudas beat Thailand 5-2 in a thrilling 120-minute game that saw referee Qasim Matar Ali Al Hatmi dish out 16 yellow cards and seven red cards to players and members of the coaching staff, from both sides. - AFP
JAKARTA (The Jakarta Post/Asia News Network): The Indonesian men’s youth soccer team took home the gold medal in a dramatic SEA Games final match in Cambodia, on Tuesday (May 16), besting Thailand to end a 32-year wait to snag the region’s top prize.
The victory at Phnom Penh’s Olympic Stadium is expected to be a good omen for the nation’s soccer fans, who have had to wallow in disappointment after their national team was forced to abort a one-time opportunity to play in the Fifa U-20 World Cup last month.
The Young Garudas beat Thailand 5-2 in a thrilling 120- minute game that saw referee Qasim Matar Ali Al Hatmi dish out 16 yellow cards and seven red cards to players and members of the coaching staff, from both sides.
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo, celebrating the historical win in Medan, North Sumatera, with his son and son-in-law and members of the presidential staff, took to social media to convey his hearty congratulations.
“I am so very happy, we have been waiting to become champions in South-East Asia for 32 years!” Jokowi posted from a durian shop on Tuesday after watching the game.
“Our players have a winning mentality, a champion’s mentality. [...] Congratulations to all the players, coaches and team officials. This victory is a result of years of hard work,” he said.
Separately, chief of the Soccer Association of Indonesia (PSSI), Erick Thohir, who accompanied the youth team in Cambodia, took to Twitter to express his joy after Indonesia ended its 32-year-long gold drought.
“Thank God, our 32 years of waiting is over. [...] Thank you God for blessing our players’ efforts. Thanks for the support from all the Indonesian citizens. This gold medal is proof that we are a nation of fighters,” Erick tweeted.
Many others joined in congratulating the youth team, including Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) secretary general Hasto Kristiyanto, who said the win was even more meaningful considering that Indonesia was not the one hosting the SEA Games.
Hasto’s party was instrumental in Fifa's decision to strip Indonesia of its right to host the Fifa U-20 World Cup and its automatic qualifying spot. He expressed hope that this win would pave the way for the soccer team to win at even bigger tournaments.
“We’re proud of our youth soccer team’s efforts and the players’ strong fighting spirit. [...] After the SEA Games, the 2023 AFC Asian Cup can be Indonesia’s next stepping stone to play on the world stage,” said the PDI-P politician, as quoted by state news agency Antara.
The manager of the youth soccer team, Indra Sjafri, has expressed hope that Tuesday’s victory would make up for the disappointment of soccer fans following Fifa’s decision last month, which effectively robbed the national team of its first chance to play in the youth tournament.
Indonesia was stripped of its hosting right last month, shortly after Central Java Governor Ganjar Prnaowo and Bali Governor I Wayan Koster, both members of the PDI-P, voiced their opposition to the participation of Israel’s national team at the global soccer event, citing Indonesia’s opposition to the Israeli occupation of Palestine.
Angry Indonesian soccer players and fans took to social media to air their frustrations, with critical comments directed primarily at the two PDI-P politicians.
Sports expert Djoko Pekik Irianto said the Young Garudas should not lose their focus after this tournament, and that soccer authorities must use this opportunity to foster more young talent to secure a spot in the 2026 Fifa U-20 World Cup.
“I understand that there will be a lot of interviews and advertisement offers for the players, so it was very important for the team manager to maintain their focus in the game," Djoko told The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
“Of course we must not stop here. If we want to prove that we can actually secure a spot in the 2026 U-20 World Cup, we need to start preparing the Young Garudas now.”
Authorities have promised sweeping reforms for Indonesian soccer following the deadly Kanjuruhan Stadium stampede last year, which exposed years of mismanagement, poor infrastructure and hooliganism in the sport.
