Against China, Test of Intensity and Quality Strikes Indonesia

The match against China, on Thursday (5/6/2025) at 20:45 WIB, at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta, will be a test for the attacking play of the Indonesian national team. China's statistics, which favor a defensive style, and the match being labeled as a must-win, require Patrick Kluivert's squad to play offensively from the kickoff.

China recorded an average ball possession of only 25 percent in four away matches during the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. When looking at that average ball possession, the figure is still below the 24 percent ball possession recorded by China in the first game against Indonesia in October 2024.

Playing in front of around 70,000 Kluivert supporters promises a game of "Garuda" squad that is hunting for victory. Moreover, Kluivert has maximized the training camp period in the last two weeks to inject the philosophy of the Dutch total football game.

Despite the loss of Marselino Ferdinan and Ragnar Oratmangoen in the match against China, Kluivert has called up offensive players to fill his squad. Included are Beckham Putra, Stefano Lilipaly, Egy Maulana Vikri, as well as Yakob and Yance Sayuri, who have the opportunity to earn their first playing minutes for the Indonesian national team under Kluivert's regime.

Kluivert and his staff's homework is to dismantle China's low defense line which will test the patience and focus of the Indonesian players. In two games in the Kluivert era, last March, Ole Romeny and his friends produced an accumulation of 18 shots.
However, the accuracy of the shots was only 28 percent. Not surprisingly, Indonesia was only able to score one goal each against Australia and Bahrain through Ole's kicks.

"We continue to refine the game plan that we have prepared in Bali. I hope to see all the players execute the tactics we have set. I have a good feeling about facing China," said Kluivert at the press conference ahead of the match, Wednesday (5/6/2025), at SUGBK.

In the official training session, Wednesday night, Garuda squad players underwent a short, fast passing training session. This ability will be very important to escape from China's tight pressing, especially when Indonesian players have crossed the halfway line.

With the opportunity to implement a similar 3-4-3 formation when facing Bahrain, Indonesia can position eight players in China's defensive zone. This number consists of three forwards, four midfielders, and one defender who will act as an additional midfielder to assist in ball distribution.

Ole's presence roaming in the heart of China's defense needs to be supported by wingers who are able to improvise. In the open play scheme, jabs through neat dribbles and accurate through balls will be very useful in breaking down the layered defense of the "Dragon Team", China's nickname.

The five new players called up by Kluivert from Liga 1 have the potential to create a surprise effect in the defense against China. Egy and Yakob, for instance, have proven their quality by being able to conquer the defenses of the best teams in Indonesia, which are mostly filled with foreign players.

Egy and Yakob have also gained substantial experience in international competitions. The ASEAN Championship, the Asian Cup, and the World Cup qualifiers are tournaments they have participated in with the Garuda squad.

The presence of both will be very beneficial in serving Ole at the front. Egy and Yakob are brave enough to face opponents one-on-one, and they are also equipped with a very good instinct to provide passes that serve their teammates.

The collection of seven assists created by Egy, along with four assists from Yakob, served as their capital to gain Kluivert's trust in the match against China. It should also be noted that Egy and Yakob are the most prolific local players in the BRI Liga 1 2024-2025. Egy contributed 12 goals for Dewa United, while Yakob scored 10 goals in his debut season with Malut United.

In addition to thinking of ways to break through China's tight and low defense, Kluivert also needs to ensure that his players can maintain their focus throughout the match and perform flawlessly for 90 minutes. This is crucial as China has a dangerous positive transition.

Australia and Bahrain have both felt the Dragons' fast-break shocks on their respective home turf. The two home games between Australia and Bahrain were the only times China could score on the road in the third round.

That style has also been demonstrated by China to Indonesia in the first battle in Qingdao. Zhang Yuning, a forward for Beijing Guoan, scored China's second goal against Maarten Paes, helping his team take a 2-1 lead.

Yuning will be the mainstay of Chinese Coach Branko Ivankovic again. He is the most capped striker that Ivankovic brought to Jakarta. However, Yuning is not too concerned about being able to score again against Indonesia.

"As a forward, scoring goals is just one part of my duties. I also need to contribute to the team. I believe all players can score because we are fighting together to achieve positive results," said Yuning.

During the official training session last night, the Chinese players also simulated their quick attacks. When the ball is with the goalkeeper, the attack will start from the defenders. They immediately present a vertical game through the flanks.

If my players are not free, then two forwards will approach the teammate who has the ball. One of the forwards will act as a decoy and disrupt the opponent's focus, causing the defense on the wingers to loosen. Subsequently, through a one-touch pass, the ball can be channeled to the winger.

The conclusion of the Dragon Team's attack, in that training simulation, was a cross into the penalty area. The Chinese players predominantly trained for aerial duels, one of the targets of the cross being Yuning.

In anticipation of a positive transition in China, the role of goalkeeper Emil Audero will be crucial. Not only is he expected to thwart every threat posed by China, but Emil also has the task of ensuring that the organization of the defensive line remains intact for 90 minutes, both with and without the ball.

"We have the opportunity to have more time with the ball, but we also need to be careful when we are without the ball to anticipate their counterattacks. We have prepared ourselves to face that situation (China's counterattacks)," said Emil.

He added, “Second balls are very important for the game. Also, we have to maintain the accuracy of the passes and do everything right.”

Undoubtedly, the match against China is a true test of the Garuda squad's caliber in elite competition in Asia. If they can win, especially with a significant score, Indonesia can look towards a higher level and gain more confidence in pursuing the grand target of reaching the main round of the 2026 World Cup.