Herdman's Resolve to Lead Indonesia to Defeat Oman for the First Time Since 1988

Indonesia National Team enters the June 2026 FIFA Matchday with a mission far greater than just securing a victory. As they host Oman at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (GBK), Senayan, Jakarta on Friday 5 June 2026, the Garuda Squad is determined to end a 38-year long wait.

This match marks a critical test for the new era of the Indonesia National Team under the leadership of John Herdman. Beyond being an opportunity to gauge the team's progress, this clash against Oman also opens the chance for Garuda to erase the negative record that has hung over them for nearly four decades.

Indonesia last defeated Oman at the 1988 King's Cup held in Bangkok, Thailand. Back then, the Red and White squad claimed a convincing 3-0 victory.

Since that win however, Indonesia has never managed to beat the team nicknamed Al Ahmar again. In all subsequent meetings, Indonesia has only recorded two wins, one draw, and suffered three defeats against Oman.

The last meeting between the two nations took place in May 2021 for a friendly match in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, where Indonesia fell to Oman with a final score of 1-3.

This record now stands as the biggest challenge facing John Herdman. The English head coach has openly acknowledged that this fixture against Oman carries enormous significance for his squad.

"The team is ready. We have completed five very good days of preparation together. We just finished our final training session earlier, and the mood within the camp is extremely positive right now. Every single player is in high spirits, eager to take the pitch and give their absolute best for all of you," he stated during the pre-match press conference at GBK Stadium.

Herdman is fully aware of the scale of the challenge awaiting his players. Yet this very obstacle is serving as extra motivation to make new history.

"It has been 38 years since we last beat Oman. That is a huge challenge for all of us," he added.

Preparation for the Indonesia National Team ahead of this fixture has not gone entirely smoothly. A number of players arrived late to join the camp due to fitness issues and health problems.

For example, Marselino Ferdinan was only able to observe training from the sidelines during the official session one day before the match. Meanwhile, newly arrived Calvin Verdonk is still undergoing physiotherapy and has not yet been able to fully join full team training.

Despite this, Herdman remains optimistic that the squad's condition will continue to improve leading up to kickoff.

"We did face minor setbacks when several players arrived late due to illness and health issues. But as of this evening, I believe every player has now found their match rhythm once again," said Herdman.

This optimism was also echoed by Indonesia National Team first-choice defender Kevin Diks. The Borussia Mönchengladbach player noted that squad morale is very positive, with everyone sharing the same goal of securing the win.

"We are in good shape right now. We have gone through several days of intense joint training to build our cohesion and playing rhythm," he stated.

According to Diks, the process of adapting to the team's game strategy and approach has gone very well throughout the training camp.

"Every player shares the same objective, understands the same game plan, and is executing the same tactical instructions. The atmosphere inside the team is really positive, and we are all hoping for your full support tomorrow," he said.

Herdman also called on supporters to attend the stadium in person. The former National Team Head Coach of Canada wants the atmosphere inside GBK Stadium to become an extra advantage for his side.

"We hope that all supporters will fill GBK tomorrow night and give the national team your full backing," Herdman said.

"With all of your support behind us, we will fight with everything we have to write new history," he emphasised.

Kevin Diks added that he hopes this match will become the turning point for the resurgence of Indonesia's national Football team.

"We are aiming to finally beat Oman for the first time in 38 years," he stated.

Reporter: Syafira