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Over the past few decades, Japan has established itself as a force in Asian football. Since their first appearance at the World Cup in 1998, the “Samurai Blue” has never been absent from the biggest football festival on the planet.
The 2026 World Cup will mark their eighth consecutive appearance, after Hajime Moriyasu's side convincingly qualified.
In the first qualifying round, Japan showed absolute superiority when they won 18 points after 6 matches, scored 24 goals and did not concede any against opponents North Korea, Syria and Myanmar.
The second qualifying round was no different. They continued their impressive form with six wins from seven matches, becoming the first non-host team to qualify for the US, Canada and Mexico next summer.
In the third qualifying round, Japan won first place in Group C and qualified for the next round two rounds early. The 2-0 victory over Bahrain in March not only ended Japan's qualifying journey but also opened a new phase - the testing phase of the squad.
Since then, coach Moriyasu has begun rotating his squad, giving new players a chance to prepare for the upcoming World Cup campaign. The 0-1 loss to Australia was part of that plan, with a squad that has undergone many changes in terms of personnel and tactics. It is expected that the 55-year-old coach will continue this approach in the match against Indonesia.
In contrast to Japan's stability and depth, Indonesia is in a challenging period of transformation. Led by former Ajax and Barcelona star Patrick Kluivert, the archipelago nation is hoping to qualify for the World Cup for the first time in its history.
Although he may not be highly regarded as a coach, coach Kluivert was still trusted by the Indonesian Football Federation last January. And he responded with two important 1-0 victories over Bahrain and China, helping Indonesia qualify for the final round of Asian qualifiers.
In this round, Indonesia will compete with UAE, Qatar and Iraq, with two direct World Cup berths and one intercontinental play-off spot for the runner-up. The remaining two representatives will soon be determined to create a fierce group of 6 teams. Clearly, the journey ahead for coach Kluivert and his team is extremely difficult.
But before thinking about their opponents in the final round, Indonesia must focus on the challenge ahead - a Japan that is on a different level. In their last meeting in November last year, the team from the land of the rising sun easily won 4-0 right at Indonesia's Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.
Source: https://tienphong.vn/truc-tiep-nhat-ban-vs-indonesia-17h35-ngay-106-thu-thach-cuc-dai-post1749961.tpo
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