August 11, 2025 | 07:41 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The coach of Indonesia's U-17 national team, Nova Arianto, said that the upcoming Independence Cup at Utama Sumatera Utara Stadium in Deli Serdang, scheduled from August 12 to 18, 2025, will serve as a test for his squad. Nova is currently preparing the team for the U-17 World Cup, which will take place in Qatar this November.
He also mentioned that the tournament is an opportunity to evaluate player performance, particularly new additions to the team.
"This includes giving international playing experience to some of the new players," Nova said when contacted by Tempo via a messaging app on Monday, August 11, 2025.
Indonesia’s U-17 team, known as Garuda Muda, will open the tournament against Tajikistan on Tuesday, August 12, with kickoff set for 07:30 PM WIB. They will face Uzbekistan three days later at the same time, and conclude the tournament against Mali on Monday, August 18, at 08:30 PM WIB.
Nova has brought a total of 30 players for the tournament. According to him, all players are in excellent condition and expected to perform at their best while gaining valuable experience from the three matches. "I hope the players make the most of every game to learn and grow, especially when facing teams that are currently at a higher level than us," said the 45-year-old coach.
The Independence Cup is being used to evaluate the team’s weaknesses, test tactical strategies, and adapt to the atmosphere of international competition. The focus is on assessing new players and preparing the team to handle different playing styles they may face at the U-17 World Cup.
"The goal is to ensure they are better prepared when the World Cup comes," Nova added.
Garuda Muda held their first training session on Saturday night, August 9, at the stadium where the tournament will take place. They arrived in Deli Serdang a day earlier. The team landed at Kualanamu Airport on Friday at 09:15 PM WIB.
Two diaspora players, Eizar Jacob and Noha Pohan, have joined the team in Medan. They are among nine overseas-based players who had previously taken part in the training camp held in Bali.
Indonesia's U-17 national team is one of 48 teams that will compete in the 2025 U-17 World Cup in Qatar, which runs from November 3 to 27. Qualifying for the final round marks a historic milestone for Indonesian football, as this is the first time the team has secured a place in the U-17 World Cup through qualification.
Indonesia previously participated in the 2023 edition of the tournament as the host nation, but this upcoming appearance marks the team’s first qualification through competitive means. In the 2023 tournament, Garuda Muda was placed in Group H alongside Brazil, Honduras, and Zambia.
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