Indonesia vs China: Both Teams Eye First Group Stage Victory

Jakarta. Two bottom-ranked teams in Group C of the 2026 Asian World Cup Qualifiers, Indonesia and China, are set to face off on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. Jakarta time in Shandong.
China, sitting at the bottom of the group, has lost all three of its matches, while Indonesia is in fifth place, having drawn all three of its games so far.
China began its Group C campaign with a crushing 7-0 defeat to Japan, followed by a 2-1 loss to Saudi Arabia and a 3-1 defeat to Australia.
Tuesday’s match offers China the chance to secure their first points, as they take on an Indonesian side just one spot above them in the standings.
Indonesia, under coach Shin Tae-yong since 2020, remains unbeaten in this round, having drawn against Saudi Arabia, Australia, and Bahrain in their first three matches.
Shin is looking to extend the Garuda's unbeaten streak and push closer to the top two spots, enhancing their hopes of securing a place in the 2026 World Cup.
According to 11v11 records, Indonesia and China have faced each other 17 times since 1957, with China winning 11 times. Indonesia has won three matches, and three encounters ended in draws. Their last meeting was in the 2013 Asian Cup qualifiers, where China won 1-0.
China might be without defender Lei Li, who was subbed off in the 77th minute during their loss to Australia due to injury. Yang Liu is expected to replace him, while forward Wenneng Xie, who scored China’s first goal of the group stage, is likely to start.
For Indonesia, Shin Tae-yong may stick with the same lineup that nearly earned them their first win against Bahrain. Forwards Rafael Struick and Ragnar Oratmangoen, both of whom scored in that match, are expected to start again.
Predicted Lineups
China: Wang (GK), Hu, Browning, Jiang, H Li, Xie, Wang, Y Li, Wei, Fernandinho, Zhang.
Indonesia: Paes (GK), Walsh, Hilgers, Amat, Idzes, Verdonk, Risaldi, Jenner, Haye, Oratmangoen, Struick.
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