Jakarta. Indonesia’s national football team coach, Shin Tae-yong, is confident that his side can defeat Saudi Arabia in the third round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The match will take place at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK) on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.
“I believe in my players, and I am confident the result will change depending on how hard they work and fight against Saudi Arabia,” Shin Tae-yong said in a media briefing on Monday.
Earlier, Indonesia played to a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia on Sept. 6, in their first meeting of Group C.
However, Indonesia has yet to secure a win in their last five matches, with three draws and two losses. As a result, the Garuda squad is currently in sixth place in the Group C standings. In their most recent match, Indonesia suffered a heavy 0-4 defeat to Japan at SUGBK on November 15, 2024.
Following that loss, Indonesia’s national team is under pressure to secure points against Saudi Arabia. Shin Tae-yong believes this is achievable as long as his players are willing to put in the effort.
“We are preparing well for the match against Saudi Arabia. I am confident that my players will give their best and be full of spirit,” he said.
In terms of team news, Indonesia’s defender Kevin Diks is unlikely to feature in the upcoming match against Saudi Arabia due to injury. Diks sustained the injury during his debut for Indonesia against Japan. The injury occurred following a clash with Wataru Endo in the 36th minute of the match.
Coach Shin is likely to opt for a defensive lineup featuring Justin Hubner, Jay Idzes, and Rizky Ridho. The trio will be tasked with protecting goalkeeper Maarten Paes, who plays for FC Dallas.
Saudi Arabian forward Abdullah Al Hamdan acknowledged the challenge of playing at SUGBK, especially due to the electric atmosphere created by Indonesia’s passionate supporters.
“It will be a tough match for us, especially since we’ll be playing away at such an incredible stadium,” Al Hamdan said. “But I guarantee that we will give our best and aim to win against Indonesia, securing three crucial points in the match.”
Saudi Arabia, under coach Hervé Renard, will likely start Ahmed Al-Kassar as the goalkeeper, with a defense featuring Yaseer Al-Shahrani, Ali Al-Bulaihi, Hassan Al-Tambakti, and Saud Abdulhamid. Sultan Al-Ghannam will anchor midfield, supported by Firas Al-Buraikan, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Musab Al-Juwayr, and Marwan Al-Sahafi. Saleh Al-Shehri is set to lead the attack as the lone striker.
Predicted lineups for Indonesia vs. Saudi Arabia:
Indonesia (3-4-3):
Maarten Paes; Rizky Ridho, Jay Idzes, Justin Hubner; Sandy Walsh, Thom Haye, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Calvin Verdonk; Rafael Struick, Ragnar Oratmangoen, Yakob Sayuri
Coach: Shin Tae-yong
Saudi Arabia (4-1-4-1):
Ahmed Al-Kassar; Yaseer Al-Shahrani, Ali Al-Bulaihi, Hassan Al-Tambakti, Saud Abdulhamid; Sultan Al-Ghannam; Firas Al-Buraikan, Nasser Al-Dawsari, Musab Al-Juwayr, Marwan Al-Sahafi; Saleh Al-Shehri
Coach: Hervé Renard
