Indonesia coach John Herdman vowed his team would be prepared for their crucial ASEAN Hyundai Cup™ 2026 Group A meeting with hosts Singapore as the Merah Putih attempt to keep their title challenge alive.
The six-times runners-up were handed a 3-0 defeat on home soil by defending champions Vietnam in their most recent fixture and that loss leaves Herdman’s side needing to win against Singapore to book a place in the next phase.
“There were many positive aspects to the performance against Vietnam, although our defensive transition was a little too open at times,” he said. “Those are areas that will improve.
“Singapore are a very different team from Vietnam. Every match presents a different challenge, and Singapore possess a different identity and different qualities. The players understand how important this match is.
“As the coach, my responsibility is to keep them calm and focused on the process that brings the group together and helps us win matches. They will be ready.”
A draw will be enough for Singapore to advance to the semi-finals ahead of Indonesia but Herdman does not believe Lions coach Gavin Lee will pack his defence in an attempt to secure the point his side require.
Instead, he expects his players to maintain their composure as they seek to make amends for their loss against the Vietnamese.
“Remaining calm means keeping your attention on the task, but we must also bring fire,” he said. “We are a wounded team with something to prove, first to ourselves and then to everyone else. I believe we have ignited that fire within the group.
“The calmness comes from committing to a collective approach. We have built unity within the team, and everybody understands what is required.
“That is what being calm means: committing to the plan and trusting that we possess the ability to succeed. However, the fire must also be present.”
Singapore, who will be without the suspended Kyoga Nakamura, are looking to reach the semi-finals for the third time in four tournaments and after wins over Cambodia and Timor-Leste and a draw with the Vietnamese, a point will see them progress once again.
“We entered the competition saying that we wanted our performances to determine our destination, and that should not change tomorrow night,” said Lee. “We cannot allow the situation or the potential outcome to affect the way we play.
“We have reached this point by playing with our identity and expressing our football, so we should not allow the qualification equation to influence our approach.
“However, should the situation require certain decisions during the closing minutes, we will be intelligent enough to make them. For now, our approach remains unchanged.”
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