The Indonesian national team must play confidently against Japan

JAKARTA – Indonesia international, Marselino Ferdinand, said the Garuda squad should play with confidence when they face Japan in the third round of the Asian Zone 2026 World Cup qualifiers at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), Jakarta, on Friday November 15, 2024, at 19.00 WIB.

Marselino said this because he wanted the Indonesian national team to play loosely and not be afraid to fight against Japan.

He emphasized that the Garuda squad does not have to be inferior, even if the blue samurai are a World Cup subscription country. No team is unbeatable.

“Maybe we are more daring to keep the ball and be confident. I think everything is the same, together people,” said Marselino.

The meeting against Japan in SUGBK will be the second match. Previously, the Indonesian national team had met the Blue Samurai in the 2023 Asian Cup group stage at the end of January 2024.

Back then, Japan won 3-1 through Justin Hubner’s own goal and Ayase Ueda’s two goals. Meanwhile, the Indonesian national team could only respond with one goal through Sandy Walsh.

Marselino confirmed that his team had learned a lot from the encounter against Japan in the 2023 Asian Cup.

Since that meeting, Garuda’s team rating has gone way up from 146 to 130 FIFA. The quality of the Indonesian national team is also increasing with the entry of naturalized players playing in Europe.

“We know how they play and how we have to play. We are very, very evaluative against Japan before,” said the 20-year-old.

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