Indonesia's U-17 national team suffered a 1-3 defeat to Zambia in the Group H opener of the U-17 World Cup in Doha, Qatar, on November 4, 2025. Indonesia led early with a goal from Zahaby Gholy, but Zambia overturned the score with three goals before halftime. Midfielder Evandra Florasta apologized for the result and stressed the need to rebound for upcoming matches.
The match took place at Field 7 of Aspire Zone, Doha, on Tuesday (November 4, 2025) local time. Indonesia took the lead with a goal from Muhammad Zahaby Gholy in the 12th minute. Zambia quickly responded with two goals from Abel Nyirongo in the 35th and 37th minutes, followed by Lukonde Mwale's strike in the 42nd minute, making it 1-3 at halftime.
Evandra Florasta, the team's midfielder, described the game as "a quite dramatic match." He admitted the team lacked focus after taking the lead. "Maybe I myself apologize along with the team because we couldn't hold the advantage in the first half," he said in the mixed zone. In the second half, Indonesia's play improved with bolder duels and better ball possession. Coach Nova Arianto emphasized mentality in the locker room: "It's useless if we've prepared tactics... but we're not brave and not confident."
Before the game, Indonesian supporters in Doha flocked to Aspire Academy from 3:00 p.m. local time. Syahrial Sawadjur, Chairman of the Indonesian Community Association in Qatar, noted high enthusiasm despite disappointment over the training field venue. "We are indeed a very enthusiastic group in Qatar," he said. Surya, a supporter, was optimistic the team could advance beyond the group stage.
This result places Indonesia third in Group H standings, after Brazil's 7-0 win over Honduras. The team will face Brazil on November 7 and Honduras on November 10. Evandra is determined to move on: "We definitely have to quickly forget tonight's match."
