JEDDAH: Indonesia manager Patrick Kluivert is confident his team can put aside the disappointment of their previous result against Saudi Arabia and show the ability to achieve victory against Iraq on Saturday in the Asian play-off for the 2026 World Cup.
Kluivert told the press on Friday at the press conference ahead of the Iraq match that his team is fully prepared for their match against Iraq.
He said: “We will take the field again tomorrow, aiming for a positive result after our previous defeat.
“The team has prepared a strategy we believe is best against Iraq, which you’ll see on the pitch tomorrow,” he added.
Indonesia are attempting to reach the World Cup for the first time and Iraq’s match on Saturday will determine their fate after a loss to Saudi Arabia.
From his side, Iraq coach Graham Arnold emphasizes the importance of focusing on their upcoming match against Indonesia, avoiding any distractions to their game against Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.
“The players need to focus on what they have, and if they think about the refereeing, their focus on the match will be greatly reduced,” he said.
Speaking to the press on Friday, Arnold added: “The players are 100 percent fit. The positive thing is that all of our players are playing regularly. When I compare that to before I took over as national team coach, there was a big difference in fitness, and now this aspect has improved significantly.”
Iraq will play its first match in Group B of the play-offs, which also includes Saudi Arabia, who sit on the top of the standings with three points, following their 3-2 victory over Indonesia on Wednesday in the opening round of the playoffs.
Kluivert confident Indonesia can achieve victory against Iraq in Asian qualifier
https://arab.news/8v955
Kluivert confident Indonesia can achieve victory against Iraq in Asian qualifier
- ‘I am confident in my players,’ Indonesia manager tells press conference on Friday
- Iraq coach Graham Arnold says ‘players need to focus on what they have’
Two own goals save Arsenal blushes against Wolves
LONDON: Arsenal avoided a major embarrassment against Premier League bottom club Wolves on Saturday, benefiting from two own goals — one in stoppage time — to win 2-1 and move five points clear of Manchester City.
Manager Mikel Arteta admitted that his team had struggled to create clear chances and that the win should have been much more comfortable.
But he said that the manner of the victory would give the team a major boost.
“That gives you belief that regardless of how the game goes, you can always find a solution to win it,” he told TNT Sports.
“But now we’re going to have a clean week. We need to start to train certain aspects slowly, because if you don’t train them, you start to deteriorate a little bit.”
Arteta’s men were blunt in the first half, failing to muster a single shot on target as Gabriel Martinelli wasted a clutch of chances.
The Arsenal boss made three changes shortly before the hour mark, bringing on Leandro Trossard, Martin Odegaard and Mikel Merino for Martinelli, Eberechi Eze and Martin Zubimendi.
The Gunners mounted wave after wave of attacks, and Declan Rice’s shot midway through the second half — their first on target — was well saved by Sam Johnstone.
But in the 70th minute the sheer weight of pressure told to the enormous relief of an impatient and nervy Emirates crowd.
Johnstone flicked Bukayo Saka’s corner onto a post as he scrambled to reach the ball but it rebounded back onto his arm and into the net for an own goal.
Gabriel Jesus came on for Viktor Gyokores for his first home match after 11 months out injured.
Astonishingly, Wolves pulled level in the 90th minute, when Mateus Mane’s flat cross was headed in by Nigerian striker Tolu Arokodare.
But just as the Arsenal fans contemplated a damaging draw, the Gunners benefited from a second own goal.
Saka delivered a perfect cross which Jesus attacked but the ball was diverted into his own net by Wolves defender Yerson Mosquera.
Winless Wolves, with a ninth league defeat in a row, have mustered just two points from their 16 games so far and are on course for the worst season in Premier League history.
Pep Guardiola’s City travel to in-form Crystal Palace on Sunday seeking to close the gap to Arsenal, who have not won the Premier League since 2004.
