Jakarta. Indonesia coach Patrick Kluivert is confident his team can end a 12-year winless streak against Iraq when they face off in their Group B clash in the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers at King Abdullah Sport City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, early Sunday.

Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Friday, Kluivert said the current situation is very different from previous encounters, in which Indonesia suffered five straight defeats to the Lions of Mesopotamia.

“They have a good record against us, but things are not the same anymore. The situation has changed,” Kluivert said in a statement released by the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI).

The Garudas have scored only two goals and conceded 13 in five matches against Iraq over the past 12 years --twice in the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers, once in the 2023 Asian Cup, and twice in the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Kluivert said his team is now much better prepared, both in terms of management and player quality. The Dutchman replaced Shin Tae-yong as head coach, while Iraq are now managed by Australian coach Graham Arnold, succeeding Jesus Casas.

Indonesia’s current squad also features several new faces who were not part of their previous meeting with Iraq, including Maarten Paes, Dean James, Calvin Verdonk, Kevin Diks, Joey Pelupessy, Ole Romeny, Miliano Jonathans, and Mauro Zilstra.

“We must win,” Kluivert said firmly.

Despite a narrow 2–3 defeat to Saudi Arabia earlier this week, which left Indonesia at the bottom of Group B with zero points, Kluivert said his players remain united and determined to bounce back.

Defender Kevin Diks echoed his coach’s optimism, saying the team has moved on from the loss and is fully focused on the crucial match against Iraq.

It will be a tough match. We’ve prepared well and are very motivated,” Diks said during the same press conference.

The Borussia Moenchengladbach defender also addressed his past penalty miss against Australia in March, saying he has regained his confidence after converting two spot-kicks against Saudi Arabia.

“That’s football. I’ve taken many penalties since then, so I’m not worried. I know where to aim and I do it with confidence,” he said.

Calling the Iraq match a “big final” for Indonesia, Diks stressed the team’s determination to secure a victory and keep their World Cup hopes alive.

Indonesia will need to win and hope for favorable results from the Saudi Arabia–Iraq fixture on Oct. 15 to stay in contention for a spot in the next qualification round.

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