Indonesia head coach under fire for blaming players after shock SEA Games loss

The criticism was led by former Indonesian national team striker Greg Nwokolo, 39, who reacted strongly to Sjafri's post-match comments. Nwokolo accused the 61-year-old coach of evading responsibility, as he blamed a single defensive error for the defeat instead of the team's lackluster performance throughout the game.

"Indonesia played like a team that hadn't trained in a long time," Nwokolo told tvOneNews. "Indonesian football is full of incidents, like a circus. I respect Sjafri, but I cannot accept that excuse."

"Other countries are focusing on developing football, while Indonesia only creates controversy," Nwokolo added.

The defending champions unexpectedly fell to the Philippines on Monday after conceding a goal from a throw-in, a set-piece play traditionally considered the strength of Indonesia. After the match, Sjafri insisted the team had trained carefully but claimed the players failed to execute his instructions.

"We assigned players to mark the right man, but that wasn't done in the play that we conceded," said Sjafri, who led Indonesia to the gold medal at the previous SEA Games in Cambodia.

CNN Indonesia noted that Sjafri's team played football with no clear attacking plan and poor connection between the lines, fueling questions about the squad's preparation.

The defeat leaves Indonesia in a dangerous position. The Philippines have already secured top spot in Group C with six points, having won both their matches.

Indonesia will play their final group stage match against Myanmar on Dec. 12. They must win to finish second in the group with three points. However, their fate is not in their own hands.

Under the tournament rules, only the three group winners and the single best second-placed team advance to the semifinals. In Group B, Vietnam and Malaysia currently have three points each. If those two teams draw in their final match on Dec. 11, both will finish with 4 points. In that scenario, the Group B runner-up would secure the wildcard spot, and Indonesia would be eliminated before they even face Myanmar.