Indonesia U22 coach: Ignoring Vietnam, they will win convincingly against Myanmar.

Defending champions U22 Indonesia found themselves at a disadvantage after a 0-1 defeat to U22 Philippines at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai. Their qualification was no longer in their own hands: if U22 Vietnam drew with U22 Malaysia in the final match of Group B, U22 Indonesia would be eliminated regardless of the result against U22 Myanmar. However, the message from the coaching staff was clear: ignore all calculations and win convincingly against Myanmar.

Indonesia U22 is in a difficult position after losing to the Philippines.

According to Indonesia's Bola newspaper, on the night of December 8th, Sumardji was constantly thinking about the reasons for the 0-1 defeat against the U22 Philippines in the second match of Group C at the 2025 SEA Games. The team manager admitted he couldn't believe his team had fallen to an opponent he considered inferior, as he had great faith in Ivar Jenner and his teammates. With this result, the "Garuda Muda's" journey to defend their title has immediately been put in a passive position.

Message from the coaching staff: focus only on yourself.

Sumardji shared in Chiang Mai: “Since the defeat on December 8th, I've been thinking a lot all night and have had a meeting with the coaching staff. We will work to lift the players' spirits.”

The Indonesian U22 coach emphasized the psychological orientation and objectives for the match: “On the evening of December 9th, we did thorough psychological preparation, instilling in the players the highest level of determination. I asked the coaching staff to focus even more. We can't say no. Against Myanmar, we must win convincingly; we cannot afford to be complacent. As for the final result, we leave it to God.”

He insisted that the entire team should not worry about what's happening in Group B: "The other group, I don't want to think about it. I've told the players: fight, focus on yourselves, don't worry about the other teams."

The brink of life and death, and the scenario for moving forward.

U22 Indonesia has only one match left in Group C, against U22 Myanmar at 7:00 PM on December 12th at the 700th Anniversary Stadium. Even if they win, their chances of advancing still depend on the result of the U22 Vietnam vs. U22 Malaysia match, which takes place the day before. The crucial factor is clear: if U22 Vietnam draws with U22 Malaysia, U22 Indonesia will definitely be eliminated, regardless of the score by which they beat Myanmar.

The psychological impact of a fall and the need for a strong response.

The Indonesian U22 coach reiterated his message about spirit and reaction after defeat. He said: “Whatever the result, we leave it to the Almighty to decide. What’s important is that the coaching staff and players reflect on themselves after this loss, then stand up and show a strong reaction against Myanmar.”

Given their status as defending champions, the imperative to win convincingly is not only aimed at maximizing all possible outcomes based on available statistics, but also at testing the competitive reflexes of a team that has just lost control of its own destiny. From a psychological perspective, focusing on the U22 Vietnam – U22 Malaysia match helps the team reduce distractions and maintain their preparation for the match at 7:00 PM on December 12th.

Notable milestones

• 8/12: Indonesia U22 lost 0-1 to Philippines U22 at the 700th Anniversary Stadium in Chiang Mai.
• Evening of December 9th: The team focused on psychological preparation and reinforcing their determination to compete.
• 11/12: Vietnam U22 faces Malaysia U22 (Group B) – the result could directly affect Indonesia U22's qualification.
• 7:00 PM on December 12th: U22 Indonesia vs U22 Myanmar (Group C) at the 700th Anniversary Stadium.

They no longer have control over their own destiny, but how the Indonesian U22 team responds after their defeat in Chiang Mai will speak volumes about the character of the defending champions. The rest, as their coach emphasized, is about focusing entirely on the 90 minutes against Myanmar U22.