Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta. Indonesia’s head coach Shin Tae-yong is gearing up for a tough challenge as his team faces Saudi Arabia, now under returning coach Herve Renard, in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers on Tuesday (19/11/2024) at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

Renard, who previously managed Saudi Arabia from 2019 to 2023, stepped back into the role in October after Roberto Mancini’s exit.

“Saudi Arabia has a new coach and younger players. Both teams are physically drained—Saudi just played in Melbourne, and we competed on 15 November 2024.  Mobility will be the key factor tomorrow,” Coach Shin said in a pre-match press conference on Monday.

The two teams last met in September, resulting in a 0-0 draw when Saudi Arabia was coached by Mancini. Despite that performance, Shin has faced criticism following Indonesia’s 0-4 defeat to Japan last week, with some questioning his tactical approach.

“I welcome constructive criticism as it helps me improve the team. I urge fans to keep supporting Indonesian football,” said Coach Shin, as reported by antaranews.com.

Indonesia sits bottom of Group C with three points, needing a strong performance to stay in the race for qualification.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)