TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The coach of the Indonesian U-23 national team, Gerald Vanenburg, expressed his desire to finish the semifinal match of the ASEAN U-23 Championship or the 2025 AFF U-23 Cup against Thailand without going into penalties. The game will take place at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta on Friday, July 25, 2025.
The Dutch coach has set the target of securing victory within the normal 90 minutes. "I am satisfied with the performance of Hokky (Caraka) and Jens (Raven), as they have always created opportunities. We just need to wait for the goals to come. We have had good opportunities in all matches, so I am optimistic that the goals will come," said Vanenburg in a press conference before the match on Thursday, July 24, 2025.
The Indonesian U-23 national team advanced to the semifinal of the 2025 AFF U-23 Cup after becoming the champion of Group A with a total of seven points. In the semifinal, Indonesia will face the winner of Group C, Thailand. Vanenburg views Thailand as though team, and it won't be easy for him to determine the best way to play against them. "We have to prepare ourselves because they have a strong midfield and attack as well as a good defense. We have to find a way to defeat them," said the Dutch coach.
Vanenburg mentioned that his team is facing player injury issues. Creative midfielder Arkhan Kaka will be absent from the semifinal. However, Vanenburg is confident that he has a good enough squad. "So, there are three to four key players absent, a considerable number. However, we have a good squad and I am confident that we are ready to face Thailand. This will be a difficult match, but we will fight," said Vanenburg.
The figure who once led the Netherlands to victory in the 1988 European Cup admitted that he still has players like Dony Tri Pamungkas. The Persija Jakarta player has been tried in various positions. "Donny has a lot of quality and flexibility. In this tournament, we have to consider the team's needs, not just the ideal formation on paper. I am pleased with the players' development and focus on preparing to face Thailand. We will strive to perform better in this match," he said.
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