REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA --The Indonesian national team will continue its fight in the third round of the 2026 Asian Zone World Cup Qualifier next week. Two home matches will be played by Shin Tae-yong's team, namely against Japan (15/11/2024) and Saudi Arabia (19/11/2024). Both matches were held at Gelora Bung Karno Utama Stadium (SUGBK) Senayan Jakarta.

Playing at home, the chances of winning especially when hosting Japan are quite heavy. Although Japan's main striker Ayase Ueda was unable to play due to injury, Shin Tae-yong said the game would still be tough for the Indonesian national team. Not to mention looking at Japan's FIFA ranking.

“You can see from the FIFA ranking figures as well, (Japan) are the highest in Asia, and in terms of performance they are the best in Asia. So to be honest, it must be tough against Japan for us,” Shin Tae-yong said at SUGBK Senayan Jakarta on Thursday (7/11/2024).

Coach Shin also admitted that the performance and capabilities of the Japanese team were very good. So, the preparation should be even more perfect, although it will still be a tough match for the Indonesian team.

The absence of Ayase Ueda judged Shin to give little advantage to the team. But he considers the Japanese team's game to be very good and will still harm the Indonesian team.

“He's a striker, let alone a core player, so that could be an advantage for us, but the organization of the Japanese national team is very good, we shouldn't miss a bit, so whether there is that player or not, we should prepare well for the game against Japan,” he said.

Ahead of the Japanese opponents, Indonesian defenders Jay Idzes and Rizky Ridho performed brilliantly in defense of their respective clubs. Shin Tae-yong said he was pleased with their performance and said it was appropriate to show the players who were called up for the Indonesian national team.

“Indeed, as national players, they have to show the best performance in their own team. For sure, as a national coach, I am happy that they are good in the team. While otherwise bagys would definitely be a burden as a national coach, Yesterday I also watched the video of Jay and Ridho's match, their performance was very good yesterday,” he praised.

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