Iraq Draws Indonesia, 1-1, in the First Half

Indonesia U-23 once again showed their identity by troubling Iraq in the first half.

AFP/KARIM JAAFAR

The Indonesian players sang the national anthem "Indonesia Raya" before their match against Iraq in the third place playoff of the U-23 Asia Cup at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Thursday (2/5/2024).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The soccer team Indonesia U-23 drew 1-1 in the first half against Iraq at the Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium , Doha, Qatar, in the match for third place U-23 Asian Cup, Thursday (2/5/2024) evening WIB. Ivar Jenner's goal put Indonesia ahead first. However, Indonesia lost control of the game so Iraq was able to equalize through Zaid Tahseen.

After losing some of their strength with a 0-2 defeat against Uzbekistan in the semifinals, Indonesia can bring back a number of key players such as Rafael Struick and Ivar Jenner. They immediately earn trust to play from the start.

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Coach Shin Tae-yong applied a 3-4-3 formation with Jeam Kelly Sroyer, Struick, and Witan Sulaeman being the main focus in the front line. Meanwhile, Ivar was tasked to maintain balance in the midfield. He was flanked by three other midfielders, namely Marselino Ferdinan, Pratama Arhan, and Ilham Rio Fahmi.

The gap left in the back line of Indonesia by captain Rizky Ridho was resolved by Shin by shifting the position of Nathan Tjoe-A-On from midfielder to center back. Nathan was assisted by Justin Hubner and Muhammad Ferarri in guarding the back line of "Garuda Muda".

AFP/KARIM JAAFAR

Iraqi player, Zaid Tahseen (right/4), and Indonesian player, Witan Sulaeman (left/8), are competing for the ball during the third-place match of the U-23 Asia Cup at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha on Thursday (May 2nd, 2024).

The return of Struick and Ivar has had a positive impact on Indonesia. The process of building attacks (build up) from the back line has become a characteristic of Indonesia during this tournament. Struick, who moved very dynamically, was able to open up space for his colleagues to enter from the second line.

In addition, Kelly Sroyer also deserves appreciation for her tireless effort in running to retrieve and hold the ball. Kelly Sroyer often goes down far to the defensive line to assist the defense and retrieve the ball.

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Iraq was able to equalize in the 27th minute through Zaid Tahseen's header, taking advantage of a corner kick momentum. Poor coordination between goalkeeper Ernando Ari and his teammates allowed Tahseen to easily head the ball.

AFP/KARIM JAAFAR

Indonesian player, Witan Sulaeman (left/8), vies for the ball with Iraqi player, Ahmed Maknazi, during the third place match of the U-23 Asia Cup at Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Doha, Thursday (2/5/2024).

After scoring the equalizer, Iraq increased the intensity of their attacks by exploiting the late closing of the wings by two Indonesian defenders, Arhan and Rio Fahmi. Both of them often join the attacks and have a slight delay in transitioning. Iraq often released crosses, relying on their tall players' posture, but this tactic can still be countered by Ernando.

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The "Garuda Muda" team lost control of the game towards the end of the first half. Their efforts to build attacks from the back were progressing smoothly. However, as soon as they entered Iraq's defensive third, the combination of one-two touches between players that was often seen at the beginning of the first half slowly faded away.

Poor communication and inadequate positioning often cause Indonesia's offensive efforts to fail. Until the end of the first half, the score remained 1-1 for both teams.