JAKARTA - Indonesian National Team coach John Herdman confirmed his team's readiness ahead of facing Bulgaria in the 2026 FIFA Series final which will be held at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, Monday, March 30, 2026. He emphasized the importance of discipline and a quick start from the start of the match.
The Garuda squad advanced to the final after winning 4-0 over Saint Kitts and Nevis on Friday, March 27, 2026, while Bulgaria performed impressively with a 10-2 victory over the Solomon Islands.
Herdman also reminded that the character of Bulgaria's game is very different from the previous opponent.
"Every team is different. Saint Kitts and Nevis is difficult to guess its structure and system. It can make us get carried away by their rhythm. However, our team plays disciplined to avoid dangerous transition situations."
"Bulgaria is different. They are bigger physically, stronger, very organized, and the transition is much more neat and fast."
"Therefore, we have to start the match better than the previous match," said Herdman after leading a training session at the Madya Stadium, Jakarta, Sunday, March 29, 2026.
He highlighted the importance of the first 10 to 15 minutes of the match so that the Indonesian National Team does not experience a slow start again.
"If we start slowly like against Saint Kitts and Nevis, we can be punished. Against a team like Bulgaria, if they go ahead, they know how to close the game."
"Therefore, we must perform very professionally, especially in the first 10-15 minutes, then let the atmosphere, the support of the fans, confidence, and team spirit come together," said Herdman.
In terms of team conditions, Herdman ensured that there was one player who had to be absent due to injury.
"Regarding the condition of the players, unfortunately Mauro Zijlstra suffered a thigh muscle injury. This is very unfortunate because he was very excited after scoring his first professional goal and his first goal for the country," he said.
As a substitute, the Indonesian National Team called Jens Raven who was considered capable of filling the position.
"We made a change by calling Jens Raven. I saw him play live in the pre-season match in Bali."
"I like a few things about him. He's still very young and I think he can be part of the future of the team," Herdman said.
Meanwhile, in the midst of a busy schedule, Herdman also emphasized the importance of recovery and mental readiness of players.
"Yesterday the players also got a little time for themselves, that's important. Today we worked hard, had some tactical meetings and discussions about the team culture. I think we're ready," he said.
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