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Players from the U-17 Women’s National Team practice an exercise field in Bali on April 23, 2024.
The 2024 U-17 Women’s Asian Cup, which will be held in Bali from May 6-19, will feature matches between Asian groups that are also world-class. The festival is sure to be tight in terms of tickets for the U-17 Women’s World Cup The Asian Cup is reserved for the three most sensible groups of the Asian Cup. For Indonesia, this is an opportunity to receive as many classes and reports as possible on the evolution of women’s football.
Despite everything, the ninth edition of the U-17 Women’s Asian Cup has taken its place after its last celebration in 2019, five years ago in Thailand. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Youth Women’s Football Competition is a biennial event. However, the ninth edition, which had been postponed until 2022, was nevertheless cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In this edition, 8 groups will compete, adding Indonesia, which will be the host for the first time. Hosting qualifies Indonesia for the final round, without wanting to participate in the qualifiers.
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Indonesia will face the top three groups at the 2019 Asian Cup. Those three groups protect champion Japan, runner-up North Korea and third-placed China. The other four groups made it through two qualifying rounds, namely Australia, South Korea, Thailand and the Philippines.
South Korea’s U-17 women’s team played a friendly tournament with Portugal and Ireland last January in Portugal.
China, Japan, South Korea and Thailand are the four groups that have qualified for the nine editions of the U-17 Asian Cup. The three former champions groups, North Korea, Japan and South Korea, are aiming for repeat victories.
Japan is the most successful team in the U-17 Asian Cup, with 4 league names. The team nicknamed “Nadeshiko” won the name at the inaugural edition in 2005, followed by back-to-back names in 2011 and 2013, as well as 2019.
It’s not easy to win in Asia, but we need to qualify for the World Cup, win the Asian Cup and win the hearts of those watching us.
Two Korean teams followed Japan in winning championship titles. North Korea won the AFC U-17 Cup three times in 2007, 2015 and 2017. The team has consistently reached the final every time it reaches the AFC Cup. Meanwhile, South Korea tasted the championship trophy once in the 2009 edition.
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China, Thailand and Australia also qualified for the semi-finals. However, the progression of those 3 groups has stopped in the last 4 rounds. China had to settle for third place four times, while Thailand finished third once and fourth twice. Australia finished fourth twice.
This means that six of the eight teams that will participate in the 2024 U-17 Asian Cup have enjoyed the competition. These teams are also able to compete to reach the semi-finals, the final, and even the champions.
The Indonesian groups participating in the U-17 Asian Cup have also reached the world level. North Korea, the world team in this age category, won the U-17 World Cup in 2008 and 2016. Only Spain has equalled North Korea’s record.
South Korea also tried their hand at winning the 2010 U-17 World Cup. The same goes for Japan, the 2014 champions.
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Japan’s U-17 women’s coach, Shirai Sadayoshi, believes that the Asian Cup festival will be competitive and that all matches will be difficult. However, they arrive in Indonesia with a wonderful determination to be champions in order to get a cheap ticket to the World Cup.
Japan’s U-17 women’s national football team held a camp in Thailand at the end of April in preparation for the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup to be held in Bali from May 6-19, 2024.
“It’s not easy to win in Asia, but we need to qualify for the World Cup, win the Asian Cup and win the hearts of those watching us,” Sadayoshi told the Japan Football Association (JFA) official.
The presence of world-class groups is a time for Indonesia to inform itself and enjoy itself as much as possible. Also, compared to other interesting groups, Indonesia had the shortest preparation time with the newest team formed. While other groups already had a team and were in the testing phase, Indonesia still had to make selections.
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However, from the beginning, the goal was bigger than forming the U-17 national team and participating in the Asian Cup. This is the first step in PSSI’s goal of expanding women’s football in the country. Previously, PSSI appointed a Japanese coach, Satoru Mochizuki, to lead the senior women’s team and all age levels.
Indonesia women’s national football team coach Satoru Mochizuki (left) concluded the selection of the U-17 national team on Field A of the Gelora Karno Stadium, Senayan, Jakarta, on Wednesday evening (28/3/2024).
PSSI president Erick Thohir said Satoru’s appointment is not separate from her glittering record in Japanese women’s football. Satoru was part of the Japanese national team’s training team when they won the 2011 World Cup and finished second at the 2012 London Olympics.
Erick added that Satoru is determined to gradually expand women’s football in Indonesia. Development will not only be concentrated at the national team level, but also at the local level. The 59-year-old coach will also help build an educational formula for women’s football. .
The 2024 U-17 Asian Cup will mark Satoru’s debut as coach of the Indonesian women’s team. Although PSSI hasn’t set any targets, they’ll give Satoru a chance first. However, Satoru can use the festival to “compare issues” and see how Indonesia’s position compares to that of other Asian youth national teams.
At a minimum, all classes and reports obtained through the Asian Cup in Indonesia can be used to expand women’s football in the country. Spirit of “Garuda Pertiwi”!