Indonesia U-23 Lose 0-1 to Philippines, Face Critical SEA Games Exit

December 9, 2025 | 10:35 am

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian U-23 national team suffered a 0-1 defeat to the Philippines in their first Group C match at the 2025 SEA Games on Monday, December 8, 2025. The only goal of the match, which took place at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai, Thailand, came from a throw-in just before halftime.

Indra Sjafri's squad was unable to score a goal despite having several chances. This result puts them in a difficult position with one more match remaining in Group C against Myanmar, who also have no points. Meanwhile, the Philippines secured a spot in the semifinals with six points, following their 2-0 victory over Myanmar in their first match.

The Young Garuda must win their final group match against Myanmar by a significant margin to maintain their chances of advancing to the semifinals. They need to compete for the best runner-up position. Currently, they are at the bottom of the third-place ranking, with Vietnam and Timor Leste, both having three points, ahead of them.

Local football observer Kesit Budi Handoyo stated that it was an undeserved defeat for Indra Sjafri's team. "It's an undeserved defeat for Indonesia," he said when contacted by Tempo on Monday night.

According to him, the performance of Ivar Jenner and his teammates did not demonstrate readiness to compete in a tournament. They were able to consistently control the ball but failed to execute the game scheme to create goal-scoring opportunities.

"The game scheme was unclear, lacked creativity, lacked composure, poor in finishing touch, and seemed hurried when in the opponent's defensive third," said the national football commentator.

Kesit mentioned that the young Azkals team was not a special opponent, but the players in blue jerseys appeared calmer and more disciplined. "They had a high spirit to defeat Indonesia," he said when asked why Indonesian players had difficulty creating chances in front of the Philippine goal.

In addition, Kesit assessed that Garrath James McPherson's squad played with a sufficiently high level of determination and had a tough defensive line. "Their defense was solid. They knew how to stop Indonesia's chances in the defensive area," he said.

He also highlighted the lack of sharpness in the Young Garuda's attack, even though they were reinforced by players who had previously represented the senior national team, namely Mauro Zijlstra and Rafael Struick in the forward line, and Ivar Jenner in the midfield. "They couldn't do much. Struick, Zilstra, couldn't do anything. Their goal-scoring instinct was not apparent," Kesit said.

Following this match, Indra Sjafri's team will face Myanmar in the final Group C match on Friday, December 12. Ivar Jenner and his teammates must win to keep their chances of advancing to the semifinals through the best second-place ranking route. "Yes, they have to win. There's no room for a draw, let alone a defeat," he said.

Currently, under Indra's guidance, the team is in second place in Group C, ahead of Myanmar, which has not yet earned any points. The Young Garuda leads because of their goal difference. The Philippines has already secured a spot as the group representative with a group champion status after recording two victories.

Kesit cautioned that Indra Sjafri's squad is overshadowed by the threat of elimination. "Indonesia's current position is critical because the maximum points they can achieve is three, and they can only compete for the best runner-up position. This means their fate also depends on the results of other group matches," he said.

Currently, in the third place for the 2025 SEA Games runner-up teams, Indonesia is at the bottom. Their position is below Vietnam and Timor Leste, both of which have already earned three points.

Read: SEA Games 2025: Indonesia U-23 Suffers 0-1 Defeat to the Philippines

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