John Herdman Backs Indonesia to Handle Pressure Against Bangladesh

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia's national team coach John Herdman described the pressure ahead of the decisive Group A match as a privilege for the players, noting that the Garuda squad is accustomed to playing in big matches and performing in front of large crowds.

“Pressure for this group is a privilege, that is what they do every week,” Herdman said at PTIK Stadium, South Jakarta, Wednesday, September 30, 2026.

He said some Indonesian players have experience playing in important matches in European competitions. This means the players already understand how to deal with pressure in high-stake matches. “They play in front of big crowds and big moments in European competitions,” he said.

Herdman also believes the players have been in similar situations before, giving them experience in dealing with match pressure. He said the ability to adapt to the conditions of Indonesian football is also part of the squad's current development process.

“As I said, they are adapting to the conditions here, they are still continuing to adapt. That is a big part of the evolution of this team,” he added.

Indonesia hold four points in Group A and remain in contention for a place in the final, with their decisive match against Bangladesh still to come. Bangladesh sit at the bottom of the standings without a point, having lost 0–3 to Malaysia and 0–1 to Singapore.

The Indonesia vs. Bangladesh match is scheduled to take place at Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Main Stadium, Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday, October 1, 2026, at 7:30 p.m. Jakarta time. (Diffa Sephiawardhani)