Indonesia U-16 to Join Vietnam International Football Tournament

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesia U-16 team will join the Vietnam International U-15 Football 2017 in Da Nang, Vietnam, held on June 14-18. “Aside from Indonesia and host Vietnam, the tournament will be participated by Taiwan and Myanmar,” the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) International and Media Relations Director Hanif Thamrin told Tempo today.

Indonesia U-16 players and officials will be departing for Vietnam today via Soekarno-Hatta International Airport.

Hanif said that the PSSI expects the national team to gain experience in the tournament. “The real target is the AFF [cup]. This one is only a preparatory tournament,” he said.

The U-16 team has earlier hold friendly matches ahead of the U-15 AFF tournament. Indonesia hammered the Philippine 4-0 in Yogyakarta on May 21. The team coached by national team legend Fakhri Husaini also scored four goals in an exhibition match against Singapore in Cikarang, West Java, on June 8.

After the tournament in Vietnam, Indonesia U-16 will be facing Australia, Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Singapore in Group A of the AFF U-15 Championship in Thailand on July 9-12. The national team will later play in Asia Cup U-16 qualifiers on September 16-24. It will be joining Laos, Timor-Leste, Northern Mariana Islands and host Thailand in Group G.

ANDRI EL FARUQI