The coach of the Indonesian U-20 National Team, Indra Sjafri, emphasized the importance of the first match in the 2025 U-20 Asian Cup which will take place on February 13. Indonesia is in Group C with defending champion Uzbekistan, Iran, and Yemen. According to Indra, the results of this first match will greatly determine the team's steps forward in the tournament, considering the experience from the previous edition.

Indra Sjafri recalled the two editions of the Asian Cup that he had gone through, where the results of the first match were an indicator of the team's success. In 2014, Indonesia lost 1-3 to Uzbekistan in the first match and failed to advance to the next phase. On the other hand, in the 2018 edition, the team managed to win 3-1 over Taiwan, which paved the way for them to qualify for the preliminary round. He emphasized, "The early win is very important, although we must also focus on achieving the best results in the following matches."

Currently, the Indonesian U-20 team is making final preparations in Jakarta with 23 players who have been selected. Indra hopes that Indonesia's participation this time can produce results, including the possibility of qualifying the team for the 2025 U-20 World Cup. With the players fit and ready, Indra is determined to apply the right tactics both in attack and defense.