In the first group D match of the 2023 Asian Cup, the Indonesian national team had to swallow the bitter pill when they lost 1-3 to the Iraqi national team. The match which was held at the Ahmed Bin Ali Stadium on Monday (15/01/2024) showed the fierce struggle of the two teams on the green field.
The match started with high intensity, with both teams attacking each other to find gaps in the opponent’s defense. The Iraqi national team appeared more pressing, but the Indonesian national team was not afraid and created a dangerous opportunity through Marselino Ferdinan’s kick which unfortunately hit the crossbar.
However, in the 17th minute, Iraq managed to open the scoring. A mistake from Marselino Ferdinan allowed Mohamed Ali to score a goal when he faced one on one with the Indonesian goalkeeper, Ernando. The Indonesian national team immediately recovered, and in the 36th minute, Marselino Ferdinan scored the equalizer after receiving a brilliant cross from Yakob Sayuri.
However, the Indonesian National Team’s joy was short-lived, because towards the end of the first half, Osama Rashid scored a goal for Iraq after taking advantage of a rebound from Ernando’s edge. This goal became controversial because there was suspicion of offside, but VAR decided to approve the goal. The score 1-2 favored Iraq until the first half ended.
In the second half, the Indonesian national team coach, Shin Tae-yong, made substitutions in the hope of turning things around. However, Indonesia conceded another goal in the 75th minute. Aymen Hussein from Iraq managed to control the ball and fired a hard shot which the Indonesian goalkeeper could not block.
The Indonesian National Team’s efforts to fight back proved difficult, and even though there were several opportunities, Iraq remained firm in maintaining their lead. Shin Tae-yong’s substitution was unable to change the score, and the match ended with a 3-1 win for the Iraqi National Team.
This defeat was certainly a hard blow for the Indonesian National Team, but it also provided momentum for evaluation and improvement. Analysis of player performance, game strategy and physical readiness will be the focus for coaches and team staff.
Steps forward must be taken with a cool head and a spirit of improvement. Losing one match is not the end of everything, and the Indonesian National Team still has the opportunity to recover in the next matches. It is also hoped that support from the fans will continue to flow, because the enthusiasm of the supporters can be an extra incentive to return to winning ways.
The 2023 Asian Cup is still a long way off, and the Indonesian National Team’s journey is not over. Hopefully this defeat will be a whip to perform better in future matches and make brilliant achievements for this country.
