John Herdman Reveals Tactics for Facing Malaysia
The Indonesian national team approaches the match against Malaysia with high confidence. Head coach John Herdman has prepared tactics to secure a victory.
The duel between Indonesia and Malaysia will take place in the second group-stage match of the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK) tomorrow, Monday (28/9). The winner of this match could secure a ticket to the final.
The Indonesian national team did manage to defeat Singapore with a score of 2-0 in their opening match. However, the performance of Kevin Diks and his teammates drew a lot of criticism because the tempo was too slow.
John Herdman acknowledged that his team’s performance was not yet optimal. However, he promised that the same issue would not happen again when meeting Malaysia.
“We played against Singapore, which was a tough match and one that we needed. I think we will enter this match (against Malaysia) at a higher tempo,” said John Herdman.
“Looking at the previous match between Bangladesh and Malaysia, the tempo of the game was much slower. So, I hope we are ready.”
Strengthened by diaspora players building their careers in Europe, high expectations naturally accompany the Indonesian national team’s journey in the 2026 FIFA ASEAN Cup. The Garuda Squad is expected not only to win, but also to deliver strong performances in every match.
Those expectations were not yet met during the victory over Singapore. However, John Herdman and his squad now have the opportunity to answer the doubts.
