According to the match schedule, the Indonesian team will host the Japanese team at home in the 5th match of Group C, the 3rd qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup - Asia region.
After the first 4 rounds, the team from the land of the rising sun is leading with 10 points, creating a gap of up to 5 points compared to the second team in the table, Australia.
Coach Hajime Moriyasu's team defeated China 7-0, Bahrain 5-0, Saudi Arabia 2-0 and drew with Australia 1-1. They almost showed superior strength compared to their opponents in this group.
On the other side, the Indonesian team suffered their first defeat in the third qualifying round against China with a score of 1-2 in the most recent round. Previously, coach Shin Tae-yong and his team caused a surprise when they drew 2-2 with Bahrain, 0-0 with Australia and 1-1 with Saudi Arabia.
However, because they have not won any matches, the Indonesian team has only 3 points, temporarily ranked second to last on the rankings. They have the same points as China but have a better secondary index.
In the upcoming match, the team from the archipelago is expected to face many difficulties against Japan, who are in good form. Indonesia will deploy a tight defensive style of play against the opponent's sharp attack.
In addition, home field advantage with the support of thousands of Indonesian fans will give great motivation to Asnawi and his teammates.
The match between Indonesia and Japan takes place at 7:00 p.m. on November 15.
