“Why such a disastrous defeat? Conceding six goals is unbelievable. What the Indonesian U17 team showed in the quarter-finals is hard to believe,” commented Thai fan Chaturong Wongcharoen on the Asean Football platform after witnessing the surprising 0-6 loss to North Korea U17 in the quarter-finals of the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia on April 14th.
Remarkably, Indonesia U17 was highly anticipated before the match against North Korea U17, having won all three group stage matches, most notably defeating South Korea U17 1-0.
However, Nova Arianto’s team underperformed in the quarter-finals, conceding two goals in the first half. The second half saw no change in momentum, as Indonesia U17 suffered four more goals and were eliminated from the quarter-finals.
Indonesia U17 suffers a 0-6 defeat against North Korea U17 in the quarter-finals of the 2025 AFC U17 Asian Cup.
Despite the heavy loss, the Indonesian team can take solace in being the only Southeast Asian team to reach the quarter-finals, earning a spot in the upcoming November World Cup.
“The Indonesian U17 team has returned to its true potential. The reason they qualified for the World Cup lies in their easy group. They’re proud of defeating South Korea but lost terribly to North Korea U17. Disappointing,” commented Malaysian fan Syarifah Sharika.
“Don’t worry, Indonesia U17, you’ve done very well. The journey is long, keep up the good work and perform better for the November U17 World Cup,” encouraged Myanmar fan Aarai.
“Although losing to North Korea U17, the important thing is that they qualified for the World Cup. They are the only Southeast Asian representative, so we should support them instead of criticizing,” supported Singaporean fan Siti Qinan Rahayu.
“I can’t recognize the Indonesian U17 team in this quarter-final. However, qualifying for the World Cup is already a success. The young players have also tried their best,” Vietnamese fan Cao Minh Quân empathized with the heavy defeat.
“Winning brings honors, and losing still earns our support. Thank you, young players, for fighting to reach the quarter-finals. This is a valuable lesson, keep a good spirit, gather energy for the upcoming World Cup,” Indonesian fan Haryono Harupa Myviva stated.