Arkhan Kaka's goal was only a bonus, the biggest lesson came from the way Aston Villa played.

Jakarta – Arkhan Kaka's 83rd-minute goal was indeed the moment met with roaring celebrations from tens of thousands of spectators at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), Jakarta on Saturday (2/8/2026). But for the Indonesia All Stars squad, the biggest lesson from their 1-3 defeat against Aston Villa was not that goal – it was the first-hand experience of facing a side that operates at the absolute highest standard of European football.

Right from the opening minute, Aston Villa demonstrated exactly why they compete at elite level. Unai Emery's side played at relentless high tempo, moved the ball with sharp speed, and maintained strict discipline to hold their game structure. Every time they lost possession, Villa players immediately launched coordinated pressing, leaving Indonesia All Stars struggling to build attacking moves.

This dominance became visible almost instantly, as Emiliano Buendia put Aston Villa ahead in the 3rd minute. Ross Barkley then doubled their lead with a powerful strike from outside the penalty box shortly before half time, before Brian Madjo scored Villa's third goal in the second half.

Despite falling behind, Indonesia All Stars never backed down. Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto's side continued to attempt building attacks whenever they won possession. Hokky Caraka even came very close to scoring in the first half, only for his shot to ricochet off the goalpost.

The goal that finally arrived through Arkhan Kaka in the 83rd minute made for a sweet closing moment for the home side. The 18-year-old striker reacted sharply to convert a rebound, after Reno Salampessy's shot was not properly secured by the Aston Villa goalkeeper.

But for Kaka himself, the greatest value of this match came not from scoring, but from the experience of competing directly against players who have spent years performing at the top international level.

Brought on in the second half, Kaka found himself in multiple physical duels against veteran centre-back Tyrone Mings. He stated that the experience of facing this large, highly experienced defender was a lesson that could never be gained from ordinary domestic matches.

"I am very happy. But I will not stop here. I will keep working hard, and I hope I can keep improving going forward," Kaka stated after the match.

He acknowledged that Aston Villa's quality was evident in every aspect of play: from ball control, decision making, all the way through to positional discipline.

"I am still young, so I have so much to learn from these players. This has been an incredibly valuable experience for me," he added. This same view was shared by Indonesia All Stars head coach Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto. The former Indonesia national team striker stated that the final scoreline was never the main measure of success for his squad in this fixture.

For him, what mattered far more was seeing his players able to perform with confidence against opposition of far superior technical quality.

"The attitude these players showed was truly outstanding. They did not play crippled by pressure, they held their confidence, and they dared to show their ability. That is the most important thing that came out of this match," Kurniawan said.

According to Kurniawan, the fact his players remained confident and composed against far higher calibre opposition was already an achievement on its own. He noted none of his squad appeared nervous at any point throughout the match, even when facing players who regularly compete in elite European competitions.

Kurniawan's assessment received backing from the Aston Villa camp. Head coach Unai Emery stated that Indonesia All Stars put up a strong fight and delivered a properly competitive contest.

Emery also praised the game organisation and discipline of the Indonesia All Stars players, noting this performance showed clear positive development within Indonesian football.

Kurniawan added that this fearless performance was all the more notable given the Indonesia All Stars only had one full day of preparation ahead of the match. With such limited time, the coaching staff had focused entirely on team cohesion rather than designing complex tactical plans.

When marking Aston Villa's creative players such as Alejandro Garnacho, the entire squad was instructed to cover for one another and shut down space, to deny the opposition freedom to build play.

"We really only had one day to prepare. Everything we emphasised was playing as a unit. When Garnacho had the ball, every other player had to help cover and close off space," Kurniawan explained.

The 49-year-old coach also noted that Arkhan Kaka's goal carried huge long term significance for the young striker's development. He believes scoring against a top European club side will provide a massive boost to Kaka's self-belief.

"For a striker this is of course extremely meaningful for his confidence. Hopefully this will make him even more certain of the ability he possesses," Kurniawan stated, as quoted by Antara News Agency.

Beyond the final result, this match against Aston Villa gave a clear, unfiltered demonstration of exactly what performance standard Indonesian players must work towards. For the full 90 minutes, the squad received a practical lesson in the speed of thought, clean transition play, positional discipline and calm decision making under pressure that defines top level football.

That is why, while Arkhan Kaka's goal will rightly be remembered, what matters far more is the irreplaceable real world experience this fixture gave to Indonesia's young footballers.

The 1-3 scoreline will fade from memory over time, but the experience of competing against the standard set by Aston Villa will form a far more valuable foundation for these players' development, than any single match result ever could.