DOHA: Indonesia head coach Shin Tae-yong exuded confidence ahead of his team’s first match against Iraq at the AFC Asian Cup challenge on Monday.
The Southeast Asian side lost 5-0 to Iran in their final friendly at the Al Rayyan Training Site here on Tuesday with Shin expecting a more resolute performance against Iraq in their Group D match.
“There were several mistakes from our defence (against Iran), with three goals resulting from our errors,” said Shin. “In the Asian Cup, the opponents will likely dominate possession more.
“Therefore, we will train for that situation so that players can find opportunities to counter-attack and create good chances.”
Shin also shed light on the condition of defender Asnawi Mangkualam, who is recovering from a muscle injury.
“Asnawi had muscle issues and is still in rehabilitation. He only played for 20-30 minutes. That’s why Asnawi couldn’t play as the captain at the beginning of the match, with vice-captain Jordi Amat taking on the role.”
