[hanomantoto]

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – The chief of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI), Erick Thohir, hopes that the Indonesian national team will be able to score points when they face Japan and Saudi Arabia in the third round of World Cup 2026 qualifiers of the Asian Zone. Earning points will keep the Garuda squad’s chances of qualifying for the fourth round.

“I always want the Indonesian National Team to earn points in every match,” said Erick Thohir to the media after monitoring the turf at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium in Senayan, Jakarta on Friday, November 8, 2024.

His target is for the Indonesian national team to collect 15 points from 10 matches in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Currently, the Garuda team has only collected three points from four matches. This means, he said, that reaching 15 points is not an easy task. “The best is maybe 12 points, which means third or fourth place,” he said.

Erick said he has set targets for all national team coaches in all categories to qualify their team for the World Cup. “In my evaluation of Coach Nova, Coach Indra and Coach Shin Tae-yong are the same (given the target of qualifying the national team for the World Cup),” said the man who also serves as Minister of State-Owned Enterprises.

The Indonesian national team will play two important matches in their quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, namely against the Japan national team on Friday, November 15, 2024. The Shin Tae-yong team will also play host to the Saudi Arabia National Team on Tuesday, November 19.

The Indonesian National Team is currently ranked fifth in the preliminary Group C standings with three points after drawing 1-1 with Saudi Arabia, 0-0 with Australia, 2-2 with Bahrain and losing 2-1 to China. Erick said PSSI, together with the government, has allocated a huge amount of funds to help the national team perform well on the world stage.

PSSI Chairman Erick Thohir (right) discussing with PSSI Secretary General Yunus Nusi (left) and PPK GBK Director Rakhmadi Afif Kusumo (center) while inspecting the condition of the grass at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), Senayan, Jakarta, November 8, 2024. ANTARA/Dhemas Reviyanto.

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