I believe that Indonesia can win.
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian Vice President Ma'ruf Amin has said he is optimistic that the national team will win the 2020 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) Championship.

"I will not predict the score. I just hope that we will win the match tonight," he remarked during an official visit to Tangerang city, Banten province, on Wednesday.

The Indonesian team will face the Thailand team in the 2020 AFF Cup final, whose first leg will take place at the National Stadium, Singapore, at 8:30 p.m. Singapore Standard Time (SST) on December 29, 2021.

"I will watch the match at my place. I believe that Indonesia can win," the Vice President remarked.

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He said he had watched the second leg of the 2020 AFF Cup semifinal between Indonesia and Singapore on December 25, 2021 with his family and personnel from the Presidential Security Guard at his private residence in Serang district, Banten province.

Meanwhile, responding to general chairman of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), Mochamad Iriawan, expressing a wish to go to Singapore to encourage the players, Amin said he should consider the trip.

"If the visit can increase the players’ fighting spirit, I do not mind it,” he said.

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The plan was conveyed by the PSSI general chairman during a video call with the captains of the team, Evan Dimas and Asnawi Mangkualam.

The Indonesian national team managed to advance to the final after defeating Singapore, with an aggregate score of 5–3.

This will be their sixth final in the biennial tournament since 1996. Previously, the team had entered the final in 2000, 2002, 2004, 2010, and 2016; however, they missed lifting the cup on all occasions.

The second leg of the 2020 AFF final is scheduled to take place at 8:30 p.m. SST on 1 January 2022.


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Translator: Desca Natalia, Uyu Liman
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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