Indonesia Ready To Shock Saudi Arabia In SUGBK, If The Counterattack Strategy Is Successfully Implemented

Sandy Walsh must be able to correct Indonesia's counter-attack (photo; dock. pssi)

JAKARTA - Indonesia will face tough challenges when hosting Saudi Arabia in the 2026 Asian Zone World Cup Qualification continued at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), Senayan, Jakarta, on November 19, 2024. This match is an important moment for both teams to improve their position in Group C, where Saudi Arabia is currently in third place, while Indonesia is still struggling to get out of the bottom of the standings.

Indonesia's chances of taking third place in Group C of the AFC World Cup Qualification are still open, although quite challenging. By only winning three points from five matches, Indonesia is currently at the bottom of the standings. Meanwhile, the third position inhabited by Saudi Arabia or other teams has six points, making a distance from Indonesia only three points.

To increase the chances of moving up to third or qualifying for the next round, Indonesia must focus on winning in the remaining matches, especially against teams in top positions such as Saudi Arabia. The draw or defeat will only widen the distance of points and reduce the chance of the Garuda national team. In addition, Indonesia needs to improve its goal productivity because so far they have only scored 0.60 goals per match, which is relatively low compared to their competitors.

Another important factor is the result of other teams in Group C. If teams such as Saudi Arabia, China, or Australia lose points in the next matches, Indonesia's chances of moving up to third place will be even greater. However, to realize this, the performance of Shin Tae-yong's team must increase significantly, both in terms of defense consistency and attack.

In short, Indonesia's chances of occupying third place depend on winning in the next matches and the result of matches from other competitors. The struggle is long, but not impossible.

While Saudi Arabia is currently in a better position than Indonesia in Group C of AFC World Cup Qualifiers, this team also faces challenges to maintain or improve its position. With six points from five matches, Saudi Arabia has a big chance of continuing to compete in third or even higher place, depending on the outcome of the next match.

Although Saudi Arabia has strength in the defense, as seen from the 0-0 draw against Bahrain and Australia, they also face problems scoring. With a goalless draw in the last two matches, Hervemen's side need to increase their attacking productivity in order to ensure victory in the remaining matches. The performances of key players such as Firas Al-Buraikan and Saleh Al-Shehri will be very decisive.

With the rest of the match against tough opponents, Saudi Arabia must appear more aggressive and consistent if they want to ensure their position in the top three. Their chances remain good enough, but they must be careful not to slip in key matches.

Based on the latest performances and statistics from Indonesia and Saudi Arabia, the World Cup qualifying match between the two on November 19 will be a pretty tight and challenging match for both teams. Several factors that can affect the course of the match and the possible scores include:

Saudi Arabia has shown strong resilience at the back, as seen from the goalless draw against Bahrain and Australia. This shows that they have good defensive discipline. However, they have struggled to score goals recently, and this could be an opportunity for Indonesia. Indonesia can take advantage of the opportunity to counterattack quickly, especially through naturalized players and the influence of young players with good technique.

The absence of some of the main players could be a decisive factor, especially for Saudi Arabia, which has not been optimal in the final settlement in attack lines. If Indonesia can perform solidly in defense and take advantage of the momentum, they have the opportunity to score goals early and put pressure on opponents.

Indonesia must improve their consistency after a negative result in the previous match, especially a big defeat to Japan. If Shin Tae-yong manages to formulate a good defensive strategy, considering Saudi Arabia has difficulty scoring goals, Indonesia can match Saudi Arabia's game, even with the possibility of winning a draw.

Score Prediction

Based on the comparison of performance and the factors above, this match has the potential to end in a draw or a narrow win. Possible final score predictions are:

Both have a strong motivation to get points, so the game may be intense and defensive on both sides.