Indonesia is cautious ahead of facing U19 Vietnam

The Indonesian U19 team is approaching their match against Timor Leste with caution, as the latter suffered a 0-3 defeat to Vietnam in the tournament's first game.

The match between Indonesia and Timor Leste will take place at Stadion Utama Sumatra Utara, Deli Serdang, at 8:00 PM today, June 4.

U19 Indonesia continues its journey in the group stage of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship. After starting the tournament with a convincing victory over Myanmar, Indonesia is now preparing to face Timor Leste in the second match of Group A.

Winning is the primary objective for the team led by Nova Arianto. Securing three more points would bring Indonesia closer to the semifinals and help maintain their position among the top teams in Group A.

However, this match could also be an opportunity for coach Nova to make some lineup adjustments. Several players who did not start in the opening game may get their chance in the starting eleven against Timor Leste.

One of the most anticipated names is Evandra Florasta. The young midfielder, who drew attention playing for U17 Indonesia at the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup and the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup, has not yet been given a starting spot when Indonesia faced Myanmar.

In that match, coach Nova Arianto chose Nazriel Alfaro and Zinadein Ardiansyah as the central midfield duo. Even when Zinadein had to leave the pitch in the first half, Evandra was still not brought on.

Instead, coach Nova placed his trust in Isfandyar Abdillah to fill that role. This decision surprised many, as Evandra has long been considered one of the most consistent performers in Indonesia's youth teams.

Besides Evandra, Welber Jardim is another noteworthy name. This versatile player, capable of playing in multiple positions, was not a priority choice in the opening match.

When Indonesia defeated Myanmar, the right-back position was assigned to Eizar Tanjung. However, against Timor Leste, Welber has a chance to start the game, whether as a full-back or a defensive midfielder.

Rotating the squad is considered quite reasonable, as U19 Indonesia still has a packed group-stage schedule. Aside from maintaining the fitness of key players, coach Nova Arianto can also use this opportunity to test the squad's depth.

On the other hand, U19 Timor Leste will certainly not be an easy opponent. Despite losing 0-3 to U19 Vietnam in their opening match, they still have a chance to compete for a semifinal spot.

Therefore, victory is a must for the team coached by Emral Abus. Another loss could make their chances of advancing very slim, especially if U19 Vietnam continues to get positive results against Myanmar.

That situation forces U19 Timor Leste to play more aggressively and proactively than in their match against U19 Vietnam. They have little choice but to try to earn points against Indonesia.

Coach Nova Arianto also emphasized that his players must not underestimate the opponent. According to him, U19 Timor Leste is highly determined to bounce back from their opening defeat.

"Timor Leste is still a team we must be wary of because they certainly do not want to lose again. We have to guard against Timor Leste's resurgence," said coach Nova Arianto.