The Indian Under-23 men’s football team will play two international friendly matches against Indonesia in Jakarta this month. The matches are scheduled for October 10 and 13.
Both games will take place at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium and will start at 6:30 PM Indian time. This opportunity comes after the team’s strong performance in the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup qualifying matches and will be another important challenge for the Young Blue Colts.
Performance in the Qualifying Round
Under head coach Naushad Moosa, the team performed well in the qualifying round, achieving significant victories against Bahrain and Brunei, but ultimately finished fifth among the best second-placed teams. Only the top four second-placed teams advanced, so India missed out on qualification by a narrow margin.
Indonesia faced a similar situation, losing to South Korea 0-1 and finishing in tenth place.
Preparation for Future Tournaments
These matches are more than just friendlies; they provide both teams with a chance to regain confidence and test new strategies as they prepare for future international competitions. Having played friendly matches against teams like Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic, and Iraq this year, India will use this opportunity to strengthen their youth squad against a similarly ranked team.