SEAToday.com, Jeddah - Indonesia’s national team coach, Shin Tae-yong, expressed his pride after his team secured a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabia in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium, Jeddah, Friday (5/9/2024). 

Shin mentioned that he was already well-acquainted with the capabilities of Saudi players through his observations of the Saudi Pro League. “We played exceptionally well despite the hot weather affecting both teams, and I’m very proud of the players,” he said during the post-match press conference, as reported by arriyadiyah.com.

Shin Tae-yong added that the match was very difficult from the start, and Saudi coach Roberto Mancini showcased his ability to rotate strategies.

“Mancini is a great coach who can adapt to match situations, but I have enough knowledge of his players and the Saudi league,” explained Shin Tae-yong. He also emphasized his confidence in the Indonesian team, stating that they would become a "dark horse" in the qualifiers.

On the other hand, Roberto Mancini expressed concern over the lack of playing time for some key players at their clubs. “I had to rely on up to 20 substitute players because many of the main players haven’t been getting enough minutes at their clubs,” said Mancini. Although the draw was disappointing for his team, Mancini remained confident that Saudi Arabia would bounce back in the next match.

With this draw, Indonesia earned one point in their opening match of Group C in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. Saudi Arabia is in second place, while Bahrain leads the group after a 1-0 win over Australia. In another match in the same group, Japan recorded a dominant 7-0 victory over China, demonstrating their dominance in the group.

The match against Saudi Arabia was a tough test for Indonesia, but Shin Tae-yong remains confident in his team’s chances. “I have great faith in the abilities of the Indonesian national team players, and we have a clear objective at this stage,” he concluded, cited by arriyadiyah.com.

Writer: Fariz Ahmad Luthfi