Korean Media: Shin Tae-yong’s Indonesia Holds Strong Saudi Arabia to a Draw, Outshining Hong Myung-bo

According to Korean media NATE, in the first round of the World Cup Qualifiers’ top 18 matches, Indonesia, coached by South Korean coach Shin Tae-yong, held the powerful Saudi Arabia to a 1-1 draw. This result is undoubtedly a significant breakthrough for Indonesia, ranked 133rd in the world.

Before the match, it was generally expected that Saudi Arabia, ranked 56th by FIFA, would easily win. Historically, Indonesia had only one draw and eleven losses against Saudi Arabia. However, the match outcome surprised everyone. Indonesia successfully resisted Saudi Arabia’s attacks with a tight defensive system and also demonstrated efficient speed and coordination on the offensive end.

The Indonesian goal came in the 19th minute of the first half when Ragnar Oratman received a pass from teammate Witan Suryaman and calmly scored. Although Saudi Arabia equalized through Al-Juwair during stoppage time in the first half, Indonesia maintained its tactical setup in the second half.

Coach Shin Tae-yong made timely substitutions during the game, ensuring the team’s overall physical condition. His tactical arrangements and on-field commands were fully demonstrated. In the end, Indonesia tenaciously held onto the draw, earning a valuable point against a formidable opponent.

In contrast, the South Korean team led by Coach Hong Myung-bo performed poorly at home against Palestine, ending in a draw as well. The South Korean team lacked effective offensive organization, overly relying on star players like Son Heung-min and Lee Gwang-jin. Defensively, the South Korean team’s performance was also unsatisfactory.

Korean media stated that Coach Shin Tae-yong successfully resisted the attacks of Saudi Arabia with an underdog Indonesian team; whereas, Coach Hong Myung-bo failed to bring out the full potential of the South Korean team. Their performances formed a stark contrast, with Coach Shin Tae-yong’s excellent command in this first qualifier leaving a deep impression.