Jakarta – Perhaps, Shin Tae-yong’s night was disturbed by swirling thoughts. The target for the Indonesian National Team to defeat the Philippines in the final Group B match of the 2024 AFF Cup, set by PSSI, forced the coach to think harder.
The defeat of the Indonesian national team by Vietnam in the previous match made Shin Tae-yong the target of criticism. Previously, this South Korean coach also failed to defeat Laos and had to settle for a 3-3 draw.
Overall, the Garuda Squad has only achieved one victory over Myanmar in the first match with a score of 1-0. The victory was achieved after a very hard effort, far from expectations and predictions. After waiting until the 76th minute, Indonesia’s victory was achieved through a goal by Asnawi Mangkualam.
The match against the Philippines, which will take place at Mahanan Stadium, Solo, on Saturday (21-12-2024) night at 8:00 PM WIB, will determine the journey of the Indonesian National Team to the semifinals.
The Goal of Victory
The match against the Philippines is not an easy one because they are also aiming for victory. Albert Capellas and his team are ready to make a surprise just like they did when facing the Vietnam National Team at Rizal Memorial Stadium on December 18, 2024.
The Philippines took the lead first with a goal from Jarvey Gayoso in the 68th minute. However, The Azkals conceded in the dying minutes, precisely in the 90+7 minute, which ended the match in a 1-1 draw.
The draw against Vietnam placed the Philippines in fourth place in the standings with three points. Previously, they also drew against Myanmar and Laos in the two previous matches.
The Philippines cannot be underestimated, and this is a challenge that Shin Tae-yong must face. There is no reason to experience defeat again.
Thus, Shin Tae-yong must be able to achieve the victory target set by PSSI.
“The target against the Philippines must be a win,” said Erick Thohir, Chairman of PSSI.
The Opponent to Face in the 2024 AFF Cup Semifinals
If they manage to reach the semifinals, the challenge will become even tougher. This is due to the possibility of Muhammad Ferarri and his teammates facing teams like Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, or even Cambodia.
Yes, because in Group A, those four teams occupy the first to fourth positions. Thailand managed to collect nine perfect points from three matches. Singapore is in second place with six points, while Malaysia and Cambodia are in third and fourth places with four points each.
Mathematically, Thailand seems likely to become the champion of Group A. Singapore still has a chance to reach the semifinals by topping Group A, but the goal difference of the War Elephants is quite significant.
Malaysia and Cambodia can still advance to the semifinals, but only as runners-up, because based on the calculations, neither of those teams can become the champions of Group A.
Therefore, if the Indonesian National Team manages to reach the semifinals, they might meet one of those four teams, depending on the Garuda team’s position after the match against the Philippines.
Nevertheless, there is nothing wrong with starting to predict and analyze the potential opponents of the Indonesian National Team in the semifinals of the 2024 AFF Cup.
How strong are they, especially Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia? Here is the review.
Patrik Gustavsson and Suphanat Mueanta from the Thailand national team competed against Singapore in Group A of the 2024 AFF Cup at the National Stadium, Singapore.
With three consecutive victories, the Thailand national team managed to secure the top position in the AFF Cup Group A standings. They have collected nine points and have ensured their advancement to the semifinals.
The last match against the Singapore National Team could serve as a warning for the Indonesian National Team. This shows that the team coached by Masatada Ishii has a fighting spirit.
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