Jakarta. The match between Indonesia and Bahrain will determine the progress of both teams in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers for the Asia zone, Group C. Indonesia will play at home at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, on Tuesday at 8:45 p.m.

Fans hope Indonesia can secure a victory against Bahrain after suffering a 5-1 defeat in Australia recently. Since 8:00 a.m., people have been arriving at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, lining up to exchange tickets for the match at the North Plaza. Although ticket exchanges will only open at 10:00 a.m., fans from all over Indonesia have been waiting in line early to avoid long queues. 

Ahead of the match, fans are optimistic about The Garuda's chances. One spectator, Dinar, believes the game will be an improvement over the previous match and hopes for a 2-1 victory.

“Everyone in Indonesia wants to win. Hopefully, the game will be much better than before, and our score will improve, even though there are many injuries,” Dinar told Beritasatu.com.

Meanwhile, a father and son from Semarang, Agung and Anwar, share the same hope. They predict a 3-2 win for Indonesia.

“I am confident Indonesia will defeat Bahrain,” Agung said.

Victory Over Bahrain 18 Years Ago

In their last five encounters, Indonesia has managed just one victory against Bahrain. This win came 18 years ago, on July 10, 2007, during the AFC Asian Cup.

As hosts, Indonesia—featuring players like Bambang Pamungkas, Ellie Eiboy, Charis Yulianto, Firman Utina, and Yandri Pitoy—secured a 2-1 victory in front of 60,000 spectators at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

Budi Sudarsono opened the scoring in the 14th minute, but Bahrain equalized 13 minutes later through a header from Sayed Jalal. The match remained intense until Firman Utina’s long-range shot hit the crossbar, allowing Bambang Pamungkas to capitalize on the rebound and score in the 64th minute. The match ended 2-1.

Since then, Indonesia has struggled against Bahrain. In the second round of the 2014 World Cup Qualifiers, Indonesia lost 0-2 at home on December 6, 2011, and suffered a heavy 0-10 defeat in the away leg on February 29, 2012.

Indonesia met Bahrain again in the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers on October 10, 2024, in an intense away match marred by refereeing controversies. That game ended in a 2-2 draw.

Now, Indonesia hosts Bahrain at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, with both teams still in contention for a spot in the 2026 World Cup. Indonesia will rely on strong home support to challenge the mental resilience of the Pearl Divers.

Indonesia’s Home Advantage

Gelora Bung Karno Stadium remains a formidable venue for visiting teams. In the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, Indonesia has played three home matches, recording one win, one draw, and one loss.

The only victory in Group C came against Saudi Arabia on November 19, 2024, when Indonesia won 2-0. The passionate home crowd created a high-pressure atmosphere for the Falcons, making history with Indonesia’s first win over Saudi Arabia in their last eight meetings across all competitions.

A similar intense atmosphere is expected against Bahrain, especially with a limited number of away fans in attendance. Bahrain had even requested FIFA to move the match to a neutral venue, but the request was denied, ensuring the game remains at Indonesia’s home ground.

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