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.