Ahead of the fixture against Malaysia, the physical condition of 3 Indonesia national football team players is currently under close monitoring.

Indonesia National Team carried positive momentum after defeating Singapore 2-0 in the Group A match of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), Jakarta, Friday 25 September 2026.

However, this victory also leaves outstanding matters for the coaching team. John Herdman still has to monitor the condition of a number of players before Indonesia National Team returns to compete against Malaysia.

The three players under observation are Emil Audero, Dean James, and Ragnar Oratmangoen. Herdman stated that the coaching staff will continue to assess the recovery progress of these three players following the match against Singapore.

Indonesia National Team's match against Malaysia is scheduled to take place on Monday, 28 September 2026. Herdman has not provided further detailed explanation regarding the condition of each player.

“Regarding injuries, we are monitoring Goalkeeper Emil Audero, tracking Dean James who had to be substituted off, and we will also observe Ragnar's condition,” said Herdman after the match.

Dean James was the player who showed the most obvious physical issues during the match. This Indonesia National Team defender was withdrawn from the pitch right at the start of the second half, exactly at the 46th minute.

Dean's position was then replaced by Nathan Tjoe-A-On. This substitution made Dean's condition one of the main points of attention for the coaching team ahead of the critical duel against Malaysia.

Meanwhile, Emil Audero and Ragnar Oratmangoen are also on the list of players whose condition will be monitored. The coaching team still has time to evaluate their fitness before confirming their readiness to face Malaysia.

Herdman Speaks On Indonesia National Team's Physical Challenges

Apart from player condition issues, John Herdman also highlighted physical aspects that become a challenge for the Garuda Squad.

The English coach assessed that a number of players, especially those who play professionally in Europe, require an adaptation period after travelling long distances to Indonesia.

Temperature differences, sleep pattern changes, and jet lag are among the factors that these players have to deal with.

“We pushed them hard, but there comes a point where performance slightly drops. Our task is to delay this drop through natural adaptation during the match,” Herdman stated.

According to Herdman, this physical condition situation is one of the lessons that can be taken from the match against Singapore. Indonesia National Team needs to conduct an evaluation while preparing a different approach for the next match.

Malaysia is considered to have different playing characteristics and threats, therefore tactical adjustments become an important part of Indonesia National Team's preparation.

“After this, we have to make tactical adjustments. That was the big lesson tonight, we need to tweak our tactics when facing a team like Malaysia who carry greater threats,” he concluded.

The win over Singapore gives Indonesia National Team additional confidence before facing Malaysia. However, players' physical readiness remains Herdman's main priority.

Updates on the condition of Emil Audero, Dean James, and Ragnar Oratmangoen will be one of the most awaited points ahead of the next match.

With only a few days gap between match schedules, the coaching team must ensure all players' condition before finalising the best line-up to face Malaysia.