China Vs Indonesia: Not A New Duel, But A New Taste

JAKARTA - China will host the Indonesian national team at the Qingdao Youth Football Stadium on Tuesday, October 15, 2024.

The duel is the agenda for the fourth match of Group C of the Third Round of the 2026 World Cup Qualification.

China and Indonesia have actually met before. There have been 17 meetings since 1957 in all competitions.

Garuda's squad is indeed inferior if you reflect on the meeting record. They only won three times, drew three times, and lost 11 times.

However, the meeting record cannot be used as a benchmark. You see, the last time China and Indonesia clashed occurred in 2013 in the 2015 Asian Cup Qualifiers.

In the two clashes at the event, Indonesia held a 1-1 China series in Jakarta and lost 0-1 at home to opponents.

No wonder, this duel will feel very different. Seeing the current condition of the Garuda Squad, it is clear that it could not be the same when I last met China in 2013.

Currently, Indonesia has grown significantly since being carpentry by Shin Tae-yong in 2019. The Red and White Team has also become a new force and is calculated in Asia.

In fact, the appearance of the Indonesian national team in the previous three matches of the 2026 World Cup Qualification was better than China.

Rizky Ridho and colleagues have packed three points from three matches. Two of them were obtained from Asian, Saudi and Australian giants.

Meanwhile, Dragon Team, nicknamed China, has not won a single point. Branko Ivankovic's team is now at the bottom of Group C.

This condition makes the Indonesian national team even more favored. Moreover, in the last match against Bahrain, the Garuda Squad almost humiliated the opponent at home had there been no controversial decision from referee Ahmed Al Kaf.

Indonesia arguably displayed their best attacking game in qualifying in the second half against Bahrain.

They scored two goals and had to settle for taking home one point because of Mohamed Marhoon's equalizer at the end of the controversial match.

Head coach Shin Tae-yong hopes to repeat the same thing against China. Moreover, players like Rafael Struick and Ragnar Oratmangoen are currently building very good cooperation.

Indonesia also came to China with a target of earning its first three points in Group C. At the same time, they want to prove themselves that victory in sight against Bahrain is not worthy of being stolen.

Apart from that, China will not just give up. They also carry a revival mission.

However, Branko Ivankovic, China's coach, is well aware that Indonesia is now much different and stronger.

According to Ivankovic, the naturalization line-up owned by the Indonesian national team is a factor in increasing the strength of its current guests.

As is known, many naturalized players and several local Indonesian national team players were poor across European football.

Therefore, winning a point at home itself is the most realistic for China. However, Indonesia did not want to go home with one more point.

Their motivation is on the rise, let alone driven by the results of Bahrain.

Head-to-Head China vs Indonesia

May 12, 1957 Indonesia vs China 2-0 (World Cup Qualification)

June 2, 1957 China vs Indonesia 4-3 (World Cup Qualification)

June 23, 1957 Indonesia vs China 0-0 (World Cup Qualification)

May 5, 1971 China vs Indonesia 1-2 (President's Cup)

November 11, 1981 China vs Indonesia 4-2 (King's Cup)

March 3, 1986 China v Indonesia 2-0 (King's Cup)

August 25, 1986 Indonesia vs China L 0-3 (Merlion Cup)

February 20, 1987 Indonesia vs China 3-1 (King's Cup)

7 August 1988 Indonesia vs China 1-1 (Jakarta Trophy)

February 8, 1991 China vs Indonesia 3-1 (Merdeka Tournament)

April 20, 1992 China vs Indonesia 2-0 ( 1992 Asian Cup Qualification)

October 16, 2000 China vs Indonesia 4-0 ( 1992 Asian Cup Qualification)

May 13, 2001 China vs Indonesia 5-1 (World Cup Qualification)

27 May 2001 Indonesia vs China 0-2 (World Cup Qualification)

July 21, 2004 China vs Indonesia 5-0 (Indonesian Cup 2004)

15 October 2013 Indonesia vs China 1-1 (2015 Asian Cup Qualification)

15 November 2013 China vs Indonesia 1-0 (2015 Asian Cup Qualification)