Making their first Asian Cup appearance since 2007, Indonesia begin Group D action by facing Iraq on Monday at Ahmed bin Ali Stadium.
A convincing 7-0 victory over Nepal combined with a win for Jordan versus Kuwait (3-0) enabled the Indonesians to finish second in their third-round qualifying group, while the Lions of Mesopotamia punched their ticket into this tournament by ending the second qualification phase as group runners-up behind Iran.
The man who masterminded South Korea's stunning victory over Germany at the 2018 World Cup, knocking the reigning champions out of that tournament, has a much tougher task in this competition.
Indonesia are 146th according to the latest FIFA ranking, making them the second-lowest seeded team behind Hong Kong (150) among those participating at the Asian Cup.
Featuring in a group with the top-ranked Asian nation Japan, along with Vietnam and Iraq, it will be a tall order for Tae-yong to propel them beyond the group stage for the first time.
0 Comments