Danger Signal For Shin Tae-yong Comes From Calvin Verdok's Teammate

Koki Ogawa can become a Japanese weapon against the Indonesian national team in the 2026 World Cup Qualification (doc. NEC Nijmegen).

JAKARTA - The Indonesian national team will face Japan on the fifth matchday of the 2026 World Cup Qualification Third Round at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on November 15, 2024.

It's no secret that Japan does have quality above the Garuda Squad. Although on paper it is not seeded, the Indonesian national team does not want to be inferior.

Shin Tae-yong will try hard to lead his team to at least be able to steal points at home. Moreover, the duel will be the first meeting of the Indonesian national team in the Third Round of the 2026 World Cup Qualification.

The South Korean coach is also preparing and studying the strengths and weaknesses of the Blue Samurai.

One of the names that rose to threat was Koki Ogawa. Calvin Verdink's teammate at NEC Nijmegen is in an uphill performance.

He began to gain the trust of coach Rogier Meijer. Most recently, Ogawa became a key actor who brought NEC through to the next phase of KNVB Beker (Dutch League Cup).

The 27-year-old striker scored a brace in NEC's 4-2 win over PEC Zwolle which was also reinforced by Indonesian national team player Eliano Reijnders.

The two additional goals made him now score four goals for NEC in all competitions.

Ogawa can answer Meijer's trust after previously rarely performing fully. In the nine Eredivisie parties, the Japanese player only played 90 minutes.

Not surprisingly, Meijer also praised the Japanese players who had an effect on NEC's victory against Zwolle. As is known, apart from Ogawa, the coach also fielded Kodai Sano and Kento Shogai.

The two names have not appeared in the senior Japanese team, but they are already prominent in the U-19, U-20, and U-23 age groups.

"You can also see it in relief after the game was full of goals. A draw (second half) supported us. We can move forward. It gives the team energy,"

"Zwolle also played well. We didn't do a few things well in the first half."

"We win with fighting spirit and sometimes with good football, sometimes with bad football."

"The role of substitutes is very important today. A goal from Kento Shiogai, he also did things like that during training," Meijer said as reported by Gelderland.

Koki Ogawa also contributed positively to the Japanese national team during the Third Round of 2026 World Cup Qualification.

As far as the four matches he has played, he has contributed two goals even though he is still in the shadow of Ayase Ueda.

Koki Ogawa was never included as a starter during the Third Round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. Hajime Moriyasu made the NEC sweeper Ueda coating and always off the bench.