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Indonesian Footballer Makes Mark in Debut for Dutch Club
Wimbo Satwiko & Sandy Pramuji | January 23, 2012

Stefano Lilipaly has broken new ground for Indonesian players after scoring a goal for Dutch club FC Utrecht. (Agency Photo) Stefano Lilipaly has broken new ground for Indonesian players after scoring a goal for Dutch club FC Utrecht. (Agency Photo)
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DaleMulholland
1:50pm Jan 24, 2012

This is excellent prgress for Indonesian football that can be easily followed and measured. It is fantastic to hear of positive happenings for the future of the local game and more of these type of articles are recommended in 2012. Let's follow these players and give them are support. Positive & progressive mindset, that is what we need. Good stuff!

Comello
8:44am Jan 24, 2012

A better headline would be:

'Recently-turned-Indonesian footballer ...'


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Amid a wealth of off-field missteps and political bickering, Stefano Lilipaly provided a bit of good news for Indonesian football on Sunday.

The 22-year-old midfielder scored in the 66th minute of his debut for FC Utrecht in the Dutch top flight, becoming the first Indonesian to find the net in the Eredivisie.

Utrecht drew 1-1 with visiting PSV Eindhoven after Ola Toivonen equalized in the 71st minute.

“It was a very pleasant moment,” Stefano, who was also named man of the match, told Utrecht’s official Web site. “I spent 10 years in the youth team. This is my time to prove I can handle [the pressure of playing in the top flight].”

He played for the Netherlands’ Under-15 and Under-18 national teams, but he looked to his roots when the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) put out a call for talented youngsters of Indonesian heritage playing in Europe.

Stefano, whose father is Indonesian, was granted citizenship on Oct. 11, 2011, alongside fellow Dutch-born Jhonny Van Beukering and Tony Cussel and Nigeria-born Greg Nwokolo and Victor Igbonefo.

He was called up for Indonesia’s Under-23 tryouts to play in last year’s Southeast Asian Games, but he was cut by then-coach Rahmad Darmawan.

Utrecht coach Jan Wouters praised the young midfielder for his development.

“Lilipaly has developed very well, grown through the youth team and has shown his quality to us in this game,” he said.

However, Aji Santoso, Indonesia’s new senior and U-23 head coach, said he did not want to rush in calling up Stefano for the national team’s next match – the final 2014 World Cup qualifier at Bahrain on Feb. 29.

Indonesia is last in Group E with no wins and 16 goals conceded from five matches. Its last chance to reach the next round passed with a 4-1 home loss to Iran in November.

“The Bahrain game will be our last match in the group and the results won’t decide anything. I prefer to call Stefano up for future events, such as the Suzuki Cup and the 2013 SEA Games,” Aji told the Jakarta Globe on Monday.

Stefano is one of a small but growing group of Indonesians playing in Europe. Yericho Christiantoko, Alfin Tuasalamony, Yandi Munawar and Syamsir Alam play in the Belgian second division with CS Vise, which is owned by the Bakrie family, while Arthur Irawan is trying his luck in Spain after signing with Espanyol’s U-19 team last year.

If those youngsters kept improving and played regularly, Aji said, they would help provide a brighter future for the national team. With world governing body FIFA prohibiting the PSSI from calling up players competing in the breakaway Indonesian Super League, the 41-year-old coach needs every option he can find.

“I would love to see them playing in my team. I don’t think it will happen when we play against Bahrain, but it will be in the near future,” he said.