Two Consecutive Wins, John Herdman Wants the Indonesian National Team to Maintain Momentum

Indonesia National Football Team closed this month's FIFA Match Day window with encouraging results. Following a convincing 3-0 shutout win over Oman, the Garuda Squad claimed another victory by defeating Mozambique 1-0 at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (GBK) in Jakarta on Tuesday.

These back-to-back wins mark a strong positive signal for John Herdman's coaching tenure, as he continues work to build a solid foundation for the Indonesia National Team.

For Herdman, these results are far more than just friendly match wins. They represent critical momentum that must be protected for the team's long term progress.

"When discussing this team's development, we always talk about momentum. These two consecutive wins carry huge significance," stated Herdman during the post-match press conference at GBK Stadium on Tuesday.

The win over Mozambique also continues a positive trend that the Garuda squad has not achieved for some time. Indonesia last recorded back-to-back victories in March 2024 under Shin Tae-yong, during the second round of 2026 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, when they beat Vietnam 1-0 and 3-0.

Prior to that run, Indonesia also secured two straight wins by defeating Brunei Darussalam twice by an identical 6-0 scoreline in October 2023, during the first round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.

Herdman noted that this latest achievement holds extra weight, as it was earned against two opponents ranked above Indonesia on the FIFA Rankings. This confirms visible progress for the Garuda squad at international competitive level.

"We have not pulled off this run since 2024, let alone doing it against two teams that sit higher than us in the world rankings," Herdman added.

The English head coach stressed that the greatest challenge now is no longer securing isolated wins, but maintaining consistent performance standards and a winning mentality for all upcoming international fixtures.

"We have this momentum right now. Our next challenge is to carry this positive trend through the September and October FIFA Match Day windows. That is the standard we are working to build," he continued.

Against Mozambique, Indonesia had to work hard to neutralise the visitors' fast transition focused playing style. While the side was briefly pulled into the opposition's rhythm at multiple points, the Garuda squad retained control of the match and held their lead until the final whistle.

Herdman expressed satisfaction with how his team handled this pressure. He explained that facing African national sides always presents unique challenges, with matches typically playing out as open, fast shifting contests.

"Matches against African teams very often become scrappy and chaotic. If you allow yourself to get dragged into that chaos, they will take full control of the game," he remarked.

Despite the victory, Herdman also identified clear areas that still require improvement, most notably attacking finishing efficiency. Official match statistics show Indonesia registered 15 total shots during the fixture, with only 3 of those efforts landing on target.