Jakarta. After Indonesia's loss to Iraq on Thursday, the Garuda Squad is now aiming for a victory against the Philippines on Tuesday to secure their spot in the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

"There is no retreat against the Philippines. We have to work even harder, especially today, considering the many mistakes we made," Indonesia National Team coach, Shin Tae-yong,  said in a post-match press conference on Thursday.

Shin noted that the errors made during the match against Iraq indicate that the team's development process is not yet complete. According to him, the Garuda Squad still has a long way to go to compete at the Asian and world levels.

Despite the loss, Shin praised his players' performance against Iraq, particularly their courage to dominate the game and hold Iraq to a draw in the first half. However, as the match progressed into the second half, the players' performance deteriorated, with mistakes such as fouls and numerous failed passes in their own half.

"Although the players' performance was good in this match, our own mistakes need to be evaluated. This will help us improve in the future," said Shin.

During the match against Iraq, Indonesia played quite well, particularly in the first half, which ended 0-0. Marselino Ferdinan and his teammates created several opportunities. The teams were still tied at halftime, with Indonesia having a ball possession of 61 percent.

However, the Garuda Squad came under pressure in the second half. A long pass from an Iraqi attack touched Justin Hubner's hand, leading referee Shaun Evans to award a penalty. Striker Aymen Hussein successfully converted the penalty in the 54th minute.

Disaster struck again for Indonesia when Jordi Amat received a straight red card in the 59th minute. The naturalized defender had to leave the field early after fouling Youssef Amyn. Iraq added another goal following a blunder by Ernando Ari. Substitute Ali Jasim seized the ball from Ernando and scored into an empty net in the 88th minute.

"Although the players' performance was good in this match, our own mistakes need to be evaluated. This will help us improve in the future," said Shin.

With the defeat against Iraq, Indonesia currently has 7 points from five matches played. This puts the Garuda Squad in second place in Group F of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers in the Asian zone's second round.

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