The international youth tournament, Garuda International Cup (GIC) 2024, has entered its third day on Saturday (24/8).
One of the highlights of the GIC 2024 tournament is the participation of academy teams sent by the Japan Football Association (JFA). The JFA sent two teams to GIC 2024, namely Tokyo White and Tokyo Purple, both competing in the U-12 age group.
Tokyo Purple has managed to showcase its strength, advancing to the quarterfinals after winning Group D. They secured convincing victories over ASIOP Biru (2-0), NFDP (3-1), and another team (6-0).
In the quarterfinals, Tokyo Purple faced Bijaksana FC, winning 5-0 and advancing to the semifinals.
Tokyo Purple’s coach, Kotaro Imamura, is determined to lead his team to victory in their first appearance at GIC.
“The competition at GIC is quite tough. Even though it’s our first time here, we’re aiming for the championship trophy. Even if we don’t win, we can learn a lot and gain valuable experience for our players,” Kotaro told the media.
Kotaro also praised the GIC 2024 event, noting that the tournament is essential for his players to gain international match experience.
“The facilities at ATG Sentul are very adequate and excellent. We feel well accommodated during our stay here. It’s really impressive in my opinion,” he concluded.
GIC 2024 is being held at ASIOP Training Ground, Sentul, West Java, from August 22-25, 2024. A total of 48 teams from eight countries—Indonesia, China, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Singapore—are competing in three age groups: U-10, U-12, and U-17.
This year, the Garuda International Cup is once again carrying the tagline ‘The Season is Coming, Let’s Have Fun,’ meaning that the tournament not only offers matches but also provides an extraordinary sports entertainment atmosphere for players and spectators at ASIOP Training Ground, Sentul.
The venue features Sompo Arena, which offers exciting games. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of food and drinks sold at bazaars, and be entertained by various performances. Additionally, GIC 2024 will feature a dance competition for high school students and a Mobile Legend tournament.