Jakarta. Indonesia’s head coach, Patrick Kluivert, has announced a provisional squad for the decisive World Cup qualification group stage matches, which will determine the country’s fate in the tournament.

Indonesia remains in contention for its first-ever World Cup appearance in the modern era after a historic 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in its latest Group C match. The win has kept alive the nation’s hopes of securing second place, which guarantees a direct ticket to the final qualification round.

Key Inclusions and Surprising Omissions
In his first competitive squad selection, Kluivert has opted to retain several key players from the roster previously assembled by his predecessor, Shin Tae-yong. However, some regular names have been left out, including Witan Sulaiman, Asnawi Mangkualam, and Yakob Sayuri.

The biggest surprise in the squad is the inclusion of Persik Kediri striker Septian Satria Bagaskara, who had never been called up during Shin Tae-yong’s tenure.

Tentative Indonesian Squad Under Kluivert

Goalkeepers

• Maarten Paes
• Nadeo Argawinata
• Ernando Ari
• Emil Audero

Defenders

• Jay Idzes
• Pratama Arhan
• Kevin Diks
• Jordi Amat
• Shayne Pattynama
• Muhammad Ferrari
• Rizky Ridho
• Nathan Tjoe-A-On
• Mees Hilgers
• Calvin Verdonk
• Sandy Walsh
• Justin Hubner
• Dean James

Midfielders

• Ricky Kambuaya
• Marselino Ferdinan
• Thom Haye
• Ivar Jenner
• Egy Maulana Vikri
• Eliano Rejnders
• Joey Pelupessy

Forwards

• Ragnar Oeratmangoen
• Ramadhan Sananta
• Ole Romenij
• Hokky Caraka
• Rafael Struick
• Septian Satria Bagaskara

Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Chairman Erick Thohir confirmed on Sunday that the squad is not yet finalized, as three additional players are still undergoing the naturalization process.

“The list remains open to three more players who are currently finalizing their Indonesian citizenship,” Erick wrote on his Instagram account.

The House of Representatives has already approved citizenship for Emil Audero Mulyadi, Joey Mathijs Pelupessy, and Dean Ruben James, but they have yet to take the official oath.

Upcoming Fixtures
Indonesia will travel to Sydney for a crucial away match against Australia at the Sydney Football Stadium on March 20, before hosting Bahrain at Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on March 25.

The team will then face Japan and China in its final two qualifiers in June.

While Japan leads Group C comfortably with a nine-point advantage, the race for second place remains wide open. Four teams, including Indonesia, are level on six points, just one point behind Australia, making the final matches critical for qualification hopes.

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