Thom Haye says Indonesia are ready for Harimau Malaya in Jakarta

Indonesia midfielder Thom Haye has told FIFA that his side are ready for Monday’s FIFA ASEAN Cup meeting with Harimau Malaya in Jakarta. He spoke after Indonesia’s opening win over Singapore at the same stadium.

What Haye said

Haye, who came on in the 64th minute of that match, said the three points gave his side momentum for the challenges ahead. “The most important thing was that we managed to score the opening goal and secure a 2-0 victory without too many problems,” he said.

He also pointed to a busy schedule with short turnarounds between games, and said the coaching staff are monitoring the squad’s condition closely. “Physically, we’re in good shape so far,” Haye said, adding that “there may be some rotation in the coming matches to keep the team fit and healthy”.

On the fixture itself he was plainer: “Everyone knows the history and the scale of the rivalry between Indonesia and Malaysia”.

The record so far

Harimau Malaya opened Division 1 on 25 September with a 3-0 win over Bangladesh, played at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta — the same ground Indonesia used for their own opener. Three goals, none conceded: the full account is Harimau Malaya’s 3-0 win over Bangladesh.

Both teams therefore arrive at Monday’s match having won their first group game.

The next two matches

Harimau Malaya and Indonesia kick off at 20:30 Malaysian time on Monday 28 September, again at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

Three days after that, on 1 October, Harimau Malaya play Singapore at Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in Bandung. That closes their group programme in Division 1.

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