Indonesia, led by head coach Shin Tae-yong, will play Uzbekistan in the semifinals of the 2024 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) U-23 Asian Cup at the Toha Abdullah bin Khalifa Stadium in Qatar on the 29th (Korea Standard Time).

According to AFC, Shin said in a press conference before the match, “A quarterfinal match will not be easy. However, we are in good condition,” adding, “I think we can produce good results.”

“When we get to this stage, the mental aspect plays a very big role,” he said, calling for the players to gather their minds.

Shin Tae-yong’s Indonesia drew 2-2 against South Korea led by head coach Hwang Sun-hong in the quarterfinals and laughed 11-10 in the shootout to reach the semifinals for the first time in the country’s soccer history.

“Before fighting against Korea, I thought it would be advantageous to go to the next stage (through the quarterfinals) because there was one more day of rest (than the opponent),” Shin said. “But there was no big difference because we went to the penalty shootout against Korea.”

A berth to the finals at the 2024 Paris Olympics is up for grabs. The top three teams will go straight to the Olympics, and the fourth-ranked team will have to win in an intercontinental playoff against Guinea, the fourth-ranked team in the CAF qualifying round, to go to Paris.

Even if Indonesia beats Uzbekistan, or loses, it will go to Paris if it secures the third place finisher. Even if it becomes the final fourth place, it will win a ticket to the Olympics if it beats Guinea and the “Last Match.”

The last time Indonesian men’s soccer competed in the Olympic finals was 68 years ago.

If he succeeds in advancing to the Olympic finals for the first time since the 1956 Melbourne Games, he will set up a shining monument in Indonesian soccer history.

Coach Shin Tae-yong has not lost confidence because of his teamwork. Coach Shin, who has been leading the Indonesian national team since 2020, has appointed mixed-race players and young players. More important roles were those under 20 and 23 years old. In particular, Shin emphasized teamwork and actively recruited players who will play for the team. “Coach Shin Tae-yong has no better player than the team. In particular, he has greater confidence in players of different ages than the A team,” a soccer source said. “In this competition, we created a team based on our teamwork.”

BY: 스포츠토토