The Japanese national soccer team attend a training session on in Jakarta on Nov. 14, 2024 before facing the Indonesian national team in the Group C match of the 2026 World Cup Asian third round qualifier at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium on Nov. 15. (AFP/Bay Ismoyo)
J
apan national soccer team coach Hajime Moriyasu said on Thursday that he expects a tough test against an Indonesian team filled with European-born players when the two sides clash in the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifying in Jakarta on Friday.
Japan are the leading team in Asia at 15th in the FIFA rankings and top qualifying Group C, with an unbeaten record after three wins and a draw.
A potential victory over Indonesia in front of 78,000 fans in the country's capital puts an eighth straight World Cup berth within reach.
Indonesia are clear underdogs for Friday's match, sitting in fifth out of six teams in their qualifying group, but they have earned spirited draws against Australia, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain.
"Tomorrow's game will be very hard because the Indonesian players will be very defensive […] so we have to play very aggressively," said Moriyasu.
"Our goal is to be the champion. Tomorrow we will fight very hard."
The top two from the three groups in the third stage of Asian qualifying will automatically reach the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, with third and fourth going into another qualifying stage.
Japan made it to the last 16 of the 2022 World Cup, where they lost to Croatia on penalties, while Indonesia has only qualified once when it competed as the Dutch East Indies.
Japan captain and out-of-favor Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo said there was not an issue with his lack of playing time for his club, despite being used sparingly by new boss Arne Slot.
"There is no problem because I try very hard, so my condition is okay," said the 31-year-old midfielder. "I will do my best 100 percent tomorrow."
Indonesia's South Korean coach Shin Tae-yong said the Red and Whites want to cause an upset against the Asian giants.
"All the players and me are planning for a match without regrets," he said. "Nobody can anticipate or expect tomorrow's result."
Shin said Australia and Saudi Arabia playing out a 0-0 draw on Thursday gave them extra hope.
"The result is […] actually an advantage for us. Except for Japan, all the other teams are just fighting each other," he said.
"So I really think energy and luck is coming to us."
Indonesia hope their new strategy of plucking Dutch-born players for its national team will pay dividends, with recent squads including as many as 10, after it recently sparked an uptick in their performances.
"The Indonesian national team is very different from before," said Moriyasu.
