"We are surely hoping for the support from football fans, as they are our 12th player," said Coach assistant Bima Sakti in the Gelora Bung Karno B soccer field in Jakarta on Thursday.
Such support is important to this team. The cheers of thousands of supporters in the stadium translate into a special energy towards the Indonesian U-23 team in every match.
One of the examples was when Indonesia played against Hong Kong in the A group on Monday (Aug 20).
At the time, the team that is dubbed as the Young Garuda team, was lagging behind with the score 0-1. It did not stop the supporters from giving them the boost of confidence through chants, cheers, and the sound of musical instruments. They gave the team energy to improve their performance, eventually bringing them to victory with the end score of 3-1, as they scored three goals in the second half.
"We can definitely feel the support," he revealed.
A similar statement was made by the Indonesian U-23 team`s defender I Putu Gede Juni Antara. He believed that the supporters` encouragement has become a vital element for him and his teammates, as it motivates them to continue to perform to the best of their abilities.
"It adds motivation to all of us," he added.
The Indonesian U-23 team will play against the United Arab Emirates U-23 in the round of 16 of the 2018 Asian Games on Friday in Wibawa Mukti Stadium in Cikarang, West Java, starting from 4 p.m..
If they are able to beat the UAE, the Indonesian U-23 team will go against Bangladesh U-23 and North Korea U-23 match winner.
Reporting by Michael Siahaan
Editing by Aria Cindyara, Bustanuddin
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
