The Indonesian team will enter the group stage of the 2023 Asian Cup with a match against Iraq, taking place at 9:30 p.m. tomorrow (January 15). The two teams met in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers two months ago. In that match, Indonesia lost 1-5 to Iraq. However, coach Shin Tae-yong believes that his team will play better in the rematch.
"We met Iraq in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. At that time, the team had a long trip and did not have much time to prepare. This time, the team's performance will be different. I cannot say what the result will be tomorrow, but certainly Indonesia's performance will be better than the previous match.
We are rated lower than Iraq, maybe our expertise is not as good. But we are not afraid of our opponent. We can play well, show our best in the next match," coach Shin Tae-yong affirmed.
Coach Shin Tae-yong
The South Korean strategist added: "The Indonesian team has accepted defeat against Iraq in the World Cup qualifiers. We still have problems. But if anyone thinks we will play as badly tomorrow as that match, you will have to reconsider."
The Indonesian team played three friendly matches before the 2023 Asian Cup and all had poor results. Asnawi Mangkualam and his teammates lost 0-4 and 1-2 to Libya, before losing 0-5 to Iran. The poor results put pressure on the shoulders of coach Shin Tae-yong and his team.
In the group stage, the Indonesian team will face Iraq (January 15), Vietnam (January 19) and Japan (January 24). The goal of the team from the archipelago is to get a ticket to the knockout round.
"Getting a ticket to the round of 16 is a very difficult task for the Indonesian team, but we will try. Japan is the number one team in the group, Iraq is very strong. The Vietnamese team is also strong but we will try our best. We never give up.
Although our FIFA position is low among the 26 teams participating in the 2023 Asian Cup, it does not mean that we will only defend. Quality football is not only about defending. We will play tactically to help Indonesian football develop.
I know there is a big gap in FIFA rankings between the Indonesian team and our opponents. The Indonesian players are young and may have weaknesses. We are building the team. However, that does not mean that the Indonesian team has a 100% chance of losing the match. That's football, no one knows what the result of tomorrow's match will be," said coach Shin Tae-yong.
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