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Oman Coach Cautious of Indonesia’s Strength, Aims to Extend Winning Record

Report by Tribunnews.com Journalist, Abdul Majid

JAKARTA – Oman national team coach Tarik Sektioui praised the Indonesian national team ahead of their meeting on the FIFA Matchday at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK), Jakarta, on Friday (June 5, 2026).

Tarik Sektioui expressed his admiration for the progress of the Garuda squad, which now features a blend of local talents and players of Indonesian descent who play in Europe.

The Moroccan coach stated that Indonesia’s current quality is vastly different compared to several years ago.

“The Indonesian team, as we all know, has a special mix between local players and those from the Netherlands. So, this is a very strong team, and we believe both teams will get what they want from this match,” said Tarik Sektioui during a pre-match press conference at SUGBK, Senayan, Jakarta, on Thursday (June 4, 2026).

Tarik Sektioui acknowledged that Indonesia has not beaten Oman in the past 38 years, and he emphasised that his team is determined to maintain that positive record.

“Of course, it has been a very long time since Indonesia last defeated Oman, and from our side, we will try to extend that streak,” he asserted.

“However, results are not always the most important thing in friendly matches like this. What matters more to us during this period is truly developing and improving both as a group and individually,” Sektioui explained.

The match against Indonesia is also part of Oman’s preparation for several major tournaments, including the Arabian Gulf Cup, the AFC Asian Cup, and their campaign to qualify for the next World Cup.

“We will continue our preparations for the upcoming Arabian Gulf Cup, the Asian Cup, and hopefully for the next World Cup,” he said.

“Even though this is a friendly match, we will take it very seriously. We always aim to win,” Sektioui added firmly.

Meanwhile, Oman player Khalid Al Braiki also acknowledged the quality of the Indonesian national team, noting its significant improvement in recent years.

“We are here to prepare for a very important match against one of the modern teams. We watched their last qualification matches, and they are a very good team,” said Al Braiki.

The 26-year-old defender mentioned that Oman is entering a new era under coach Tarik Sektioui.

For that reason, the match against Indonesia is seen as an important opportunity to build a stronger team foundation.

“We are also starting a new chapter with new technical staff and head coach Tarik Sektioui. We believe we will achieve great things. We are very excited to play this match and happy to have our new coach,” he said.

“We believe in him and will do our best for the team,” he concluded.