The Indonesian U23 national team will have a decisive match in the 2024 U23 Asian Cup. Marselino Ferdinan et al will face Uzbekistan in the 2024 U23 Asian Cup semifinals at the Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa Stadium in Qatar, Monday (29/4/2024). If they can beat Uzbekistan, Indonesia will have the opportunity to ink gold as a debutant team in the 2024 U23 Asian Cup.
Not only having the opportunity to bring home the championship title, but also the opportunity to win tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympics. As is known, there are only three teams that will get automatic tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympics as Asia’s representative. Meanwhile, one more ticket must be competed for in the playoffs with African representatives, Guinea.
Indonesian U23 national team coach Shin Tae-yong will not just miss the opportunity to get his team to qualify for the Olympics. Victory over Australia and South Korea will be a motivation for the Indonesian U23 national team that nothing is impossible even though Uzbekistan is more favored.
Below is the summarized four facts ahead of the 2024 U23 Asian Cup semifinal match, Indonesia vs Uzbekistan:
The Indonesian U23 national team is surrounded by champions.
The Indonesian U23 national team is the debut team in the 2024 U23 Asian Cup semifinal because three other teams, namely Uzbekistan, Japan , and Iraq has a track record as a champion. Iraq won the inaugural edition of the U23 Asian Cup in 2013. Then, Japan followed in Iraq’s footsteps to become champion in 2016. The team that will be Indonesia’s opponent in the semifinals, Uzbekistan, also came out as champion in 2018, beating Indonesia’s rivals in Southeast Asia, namely Vietnam.
There is always a different champion in each edition.
Another unique thing about the U23 Asian Cup is that each edition always sees a change in the team that wins. So far, no team has managed to win back to back titles. The defending champions in the 2022 edition, Saudi Arabia, even had to lose to Uzbekistan in the last 8 rounds. This certainly opens up the opportunity for the Indonesian U23 national team to continue its surprise until it emerges as champion.
Homework for the Indonesian U23 National Team to break Uzbekistan’s goal.
The Indonesian U23 National Team has a job that is not easy ahead of the clash against Uzbekistan in the semifinals of the 2024 U23 Asian Cup. Until now, his opponents have not even managed to break through his goal. Of course, it is not an easy task for the Indonesian attacking line, such as Ramadhan Sananta and Witan Sulaeman, to break through the goal of the national team nicknamed the White Wolves.
Indonesia’s U23 national team lost head to head record
Indonesia had a minor record when they met Uzbekistan. Of the six meetings between the two teams, both in age groups and at senior level, Indonesia was only able to hold a draw three times. In the other three matches, Indonesia had to recognize Uzbekistan’s superiority. The meeting of the two teams in the semifinals of the 2024 U23 Asian Cup will be an opportunity for the Indonesian U23 national team to improve their bad record.
