Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Erick Thohir, the Chairman of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), has set the Indonesian national team’s target for the ASEAN Cup 2024: reaching the semifinals.
He clarified earlier remarks about achieving "the best results" in the tournament.
"Someone asked, ‘Didn’t you say there was no target?’ I said, I never said that. All preparations must be maximized, and there has to be a measurable outcome. The target is the semifinals," he said, as reported by antaranews.com on Friday (20/12/2024).
According to Erick, this goal is achievable if Indonesia defeats Myanmar and Laos but loses to Vietnam. However, the team fell short, drawing 3-3 against Laos at home.
“To reach the semifinals, we must win the final group match against the Philippines on Saturday (21/12) at Stadion Manahan, Solo,” Erick emphasized.
Erick also commented on Indonesia’s drop in FIFA rankings from 125 to 127. He attributed the decline to the predominantly U-20 squad competing against senior teams, saying, "This ranking drop was expected due to our younger team facing experienced opponents."
(mg/inp/pr/nm)