Indonesia U-20 team targets perfect start against Malaysia in Asian Cup qualifying

Indonesia’s route to the 2027 AFC U-20 Asian Cup starts against Malaysia, with coach Nova Arianto saying his players have recovered from early fitness concerns and are ready for the opening match.

The Group H fixture is scheduled for Monday, August 31, at Laos National Stadium KM16. Arianto said the team’s preparations had gone well and expressed hope that Indonesia would perform at its best.

He acknowledged that several players were not in ideal physical condition at the start of preparations. The available recovery time, he said, had helped restore their fitness before the official competition began.

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In terms of the team’s preparation, everything has gone well and we hope we can perform at our best in the first match.

Arianto also warned against underestimating any opponent. Indonesia’s group includes Malaysia, Australia and hosts Laos. He said Malaysia had performed well at the ASEAN championship and that Australia and Laos also required close attention.

Indonesia’s stated objective is to secure a place in the 2027 finals in China. The eight group winners will qualify automatically, while seven of the best runners-up will also advance. Arianto said that goal should not become a burden that limits his players’ performance.

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We are anticipating every team. We can see that Malaysia also performed very well in the ASEAN championship, including how we faced Australia.