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The U-19 National Team won 3-1 in a friendly match with China in a match that took place at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Surabaya, East Java, Thursday October 17, 2019.

Even though it is only a friendly match, this victory has an important meaning to increase the confidence of the players, even the confidence of Indonesia's senior soccer team that has been battered in the Pre World Cup preliminaries after swallowing four successive defeats.

China is one of the elite teams in the Asian region, besides South Korea, Japan, Australia, and several other countries in the Middle East who are subscribed to as World Cup participants. Although in a friendly match, this victory proves Indonesia's achievements at the junior level are not too disappointing.

Previously, the Indonesian junior team also qualified for the Asian Cup after becoming the best runner-up, without ever losing one time. A few years before, the U-16 junior team had even won the Asian championship after defeating South Korea in the final.

Unfortunately, Indonesia always fails to harvest junior achievements when it enters the senior level. Observers provide some analysis on this. One of them is in athletes who are not consistent in maintaining performance and their failure to compete at senior level.

In addition, the climate of competition in Indonesia also does not support an increase in soccer player performance. It is best for Indonesian footballers to have higher-level careers in Japan, Australia and even in European countries in order to have international experience.

Regarding the 3-1 victory over China, U-19 Indonesian national team coach Fakhri Husaini praised the enthusiasm shown by the players, especially Andre Oktaviansyah who had just recovered from injury. Fakhri claimed to have worried because the player suffered a severe injury. Andre Oktaviansyah suffered an injury while in England to attend the first edition of the Garuda Select program. Andre suffered a meniscus knee injury and had to go up to the operating table to get a full recovery. After pulling aside from the field for four months, Andre again had the opportunity to defend the U-19 national team.

Andre is considered to show a high spirit to be able to return to the best performance as before the injury. "Andre began to recover and joined us for two weeks. Training was not easy for him after surgery. There was a feeling of trauma that I appreciated," Fakhri Husaini said.

Fakhri was pleased with the progress shown by the 16-year-old. In fact, not only in the U-19 national team, Andre's name is also included in the second edition of the Garuda Select team list and will return to training in England. "Andre's desire is so strong to join the player we are calling, he can add to the existing power," he added.

Meanwhile, the U-19 national team currently has a total of 26 players. Fakhri will cross out three players. The crossing is done after seeing the player's performance in a trial match against China at the Bung Tomo Gelora Stadium on Thursday (10/17/2019) and continued at the Captain I Wayan Dipta Stadium on Sunday (10/20/2019). "Now there are 26 players completed from trials against China in Bali, we will reduce three players," said Fakhri.[]

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Kemenangan Garuda Muda Vs China dan Indonesia yang Gagal Panen Prestasi Senior

Tim Nasional U-19 meraih kemenangan 3-1 dalam laga persahabatan dengan China dalam pertandingan yang berlangsung di Stadion Gelora Bung Karno, Surabaya, Jawa Timur, Kamis 17 Oktober 2019.

Meski hanya laga persahabatan, kemenangan ini memiliki arti penting untuk meningkatkan kepercayaan diri pemain, bahkan kepercayaan tim tim sepakbola senior Indonesia yang babak belur dalam penyisihan Pra Piala Dunia setelah menelan empat kekalahan beruntun.

China termasuk salah satu tim elit di kawasan Asia, selain Korea Selatan, Jepang, Australia, dan beberapa negara lain di Timur Tengah yang langganan menjadi peserta World Cup. Walau dalam laga persahabatan, kemenangan ini membuktikan prestasi Indonesia di level junior tidak terlalu mengecewakan.

Sebelumnya, tim junior Indonesia juga lolos ke Piala Asia setelah menjadi runner up terbaik, tanpa pernah mengalami kekalahan satu kali pun. Beberapa tahun sebelumnya, tim junior U-16 bahkan pernah menjadi juara Asia setelah mengalahkan Korea Selatan di final.

Sayangnya, Indonesia selalu gagal panen prestasi junior ketika masuk ke level senior. Para pengamat memberikan beberapa analisis mengenai itu. Salah satunya ada pada atlet yang tidak konsisten menjaga perfoma serta kegagalan mereka berkompetisi di level senior.

Selain itu, iklim kompetisi di Indonesia juga tidak mendukung peningkatan prestasi pemain bola. Sebaiknya, pemain bola Indonesia berkarier di level kompetisi lebih tinggi di Jepang, Australia, bahkan di negara Eropa agar memiliki pengalaman internasional.

Mengenai kemenangan 3-1 atas China, Pelatih Timnas Indonesia U-19 Fakhri Husaini memuji semangat yang ditunjukkan para pemain, terutama Andre Oktaviansyah yang baru bangkit dari cedera. Fakhri mengaku sempat khawatir karena sang pemain mengalami cedera parah. Andre Oktaviansyah mengalami cedera ketika berada di Inggris untuk mengikuti program Garuda Select edisi pertama. Andre mengalami cedera lutut meniscus dan harus naik ke meja operasi untuk bisa sembuh total. Setelah menepi dari lapangan selama empat bulan, Andre kembali mendapat kesempatan untuk membela Timnas U-19.

Andre dinilai menunjukkan semangat yang tinggi untuk bisa kembali pada peforma terbaik seperti sebelum cedera. "Andre mulai sembuh dan ikut kami selama dua minggu. Latihan tak mudah buat dia setelah operasi. Ada perasaan trauma saya berikan apresiasi," kata Fakhri Husaini.

Fakhri senang dengan progres yang ditunjukkan pemain berusia 16 tahun itu. Bahkan, bukan hanya di timnas U-19, nama Andre juga masuk dalam daftar tim Garuda Select edisi kedua dan akan kembali berlatih di Inggris. "Keinganan Andre begitu kuat untuk bergabung pemain yang kami panggil, dia bisa tambah kekautan yang ada sekarang," katanya.

Sementara itu, timnas U-19 saat ini berkuatan sebanyak 26 pemain. Fakhri akan mencoret tiga orang pemain. Pencoretan dilakukan seusai melihat performa pemain pada laga uji coba melawan China di Stadion Gelora Bung Tomo Kamis (17/10/2019) dan dilanjutkan di Stadion Kapten I Wayan Dipta pada hari Minggu (20/10/2019). "Sekarang ada 26 pemain selesai dari uji coba melawan China di Bali, kami akan kurangin tiga pemain," kata Fakhri.[]

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