The match in Sydney will see the Group C sides battle for a chance to qualify for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The Australian men’s football team’s head coach Tony Popovic believes there will be a degree of the unknown when his side face an Indonesian team led for the first time by Patrick Kluivert in a qualifying match for the FIFA World Cup 2026.
The teams meet in Sydney on Thursday in a crucial clash with both battling to nab the second spot in Asian qualifying Group C alongside Japan, who have all but locked up the top spot.
Australia’s hopes of securing the second automatic ticket to the finals from the group will rest on how they fare against Indonesia and China, whom they face in Hangzhou on Tuesday.
The top two sides in the group are guaranteed a berth at the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Indonesia, who stand with three other nations a point behind second-placed Australia in the group, have experienced a significant upturn in fortunes due to an influx of mainly Dutch-born members of the country’s diaspora.
They drew 0-0 with Australia in a qualifier in Jakarta in September, stunned Saudi Arabia 2-0 in November, and in January brought former Dutch international Kluivert on board as coach.
Meanwhile, Popovic replaced Graham Arnold as the Australian coach.
Indonesia’s Sandy Walsh, right, battles for the ball against Australia’s Craig Goodwin during the FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier third round Group C Asia soccer match between Indonesia and Australia at Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta, Indonesia, Tuesday, Sept 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Achmad Ibrahim)
Indonesia and Australia drew 0-0 when they met in their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifier at the Gelora Bung Karno stadium in Jakarta, in September [File: Achmad Ibrahim/AP]
Thursday’s game will be Barcelona and Dutch great Kluivert’s first in charge of the Southeast Asian nation, who are attempting to reach the World Cup for the first time since independence in 1945.
“We’ve analysed Indonesia, we know there’s a new coach, we don’t know how he will set up,” said the former Crystal Palace defender Popovic.
“Of course we’ve seen what he’s done previously in various jobs he’s been involved in, in terms of the structure and shape that he plays.
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“But we have to focus on us and know that we can deal with any structure that comes our way.”
Popovic, who is missing key players in central defence, cautioned that patience may be required if Kluivert instructs his men to sit deep and defend in numbers.
“We have to be prepared to do whatever the moment allows us and if it’s not on, be patient and wait for the opening,” he said.
Indonesia’s coach Patrick Kluivert reacts during a press conference ahead of the World Cup qualifying match against Australia at the Sydney Football Stadium, Sydney, Australia, Wednesday, March 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)
Patrick Kluivert was hired as Indonesia’s head coach in January [Mark Baker/AP]
‘Put Indonesia on the map’
Meanwhile, Kluivert has promised some surprises from his team, despite only having had a couple of training sessions with his squad since taking over.
With many of his players flying in from their clubs in Europe, Kluivert admitted that there had not been enough time to really impose his ideas on the squad but said he was confident they were ready to challenge for a first win over Australia since 1981.
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