Coach Highlights Individual Brilliance Behind Indonesia's U-17 Victory

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's U-17 national team coach Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto credited individual quality and mental resilience after his team’s convincing win, with a standout goal underlining the squad’s potential on the regional stage.

Kurniawan said the acrobatic goal scored by Dava Yunna Adi Putra against Timor-Leste in the Group A match of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U-17 Championship 2026, which ended 4-0, reflected the player’s individual quality.

“Dava is one of the players who has strong individual ability and we are very proud,” Kurniawan said at a post-match press conference at Gelora Joko Samudro Stadium in Gresik on Monday night, April 13, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

He added that the goal was a special moment for the player, who has close ties to Surabaya as a young player of Persebaya. “Surabaya is also his home, so this is a gift for Surabaya,” he said, noting that the contribution brought pride not only to the team but also to local supporters.

Kurniawan also praised the team’s performance and mental strength following the 4-0 victory in their opening Group A match. “It is not easy to play the first match, especially as hosts with big pressure. But I appreciate their match mentality,” he added.

He noted that most players were competing in an international tournament for the first time, making the opening match particularly challenging, especially with the added pressure of playing at home.

Despite earlier concerns following less convincing friendly results, Kurniawan said the team showed promising development. He added that in the second half against Timor-Leste, the team was instructed to remain focused despite the comfortable lead and to approach the game as if the score were level.

The strategy was aimed at maintaining intensity and avoiding complacency throughout the match. “In the second half we controlled the game. There were several chances that did not result in goals, and that will be part of our evaluation,” he explained.

Looking ahead, Kurniawan emphasized that all players have equally important roles in the squad, with playing opportunities to be given to those in the best condition. ***