Jakarta. The Indonesian national football team secured a 2-0 victory against Saudi Arabia in their third-round 2026 World Cup Qualifier, Group C, held at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (SUGBK) on Tuesday .

The match started with high intensity as Indonesia came out strong, trying to break through Saudi Arabia’s defense. In the second minute, the Garudas nearly took the lead when Marselino Ferdinan’s shot hit the post, denying them an early goal.

Indonesia had another golden opportunity in the eighth minute. Rafael Struick found space behind the Saudi defense, but his weak shot was easily saved by goalkeeper Ahmed Alkassar.

Indonesia finally broke the deadlock in the 32nd minute when Marselino Ferdinan, who played for Oxford United, scored, putting the hosts ahead 1-0. The Garuda squad continued to dominate, creating several more chances in the remaining minutes of the first half.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia struggled to find their rhythm and looked for ways to equalize. Just before the break, Indonesia's Calvin Verdonk almost doubled the lead, but his shot narrowly missed, hitting the side netting. The score remained 1-0 at halftime.

Saudi Arabia came out more aggressive after the break, with Herve Renard's team pressing hard to regain control. The Green Falcons launched attacks from various angles, but Maarten Paes kept Indonesia’s goal safe with some solid saves.

In the 57th minute, Indonesia doubled their lead when Marselino Ferdinan scored again, making it 2-0. Saudi Arabia continued to struggle under pressure, with Indonesia dominating the match once more.

The game grew increasingly intense as Saudi Arabia pushed for a comeback. However, Indonesia’s defense held firm, despite being reduced to 10 players after Justin Hubner received a red card in the 89th minute.

Despite being a man down, Indonesia kept their composure and held on to the 2-0 lead until the final whistle, securing a valuable three points.

With their 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia, Indonesia has climbed to third place in the Group C standings of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers with six points. They trail behind Japan and Australia, though Australia and Bahrain are scheduled to play later, which could impact the current rankings.

Line-ups:

Indonesia:
Maarten Paes (GK); Jay Idzes, Rizky Ridho, Justin Hubner; Sandy Walsh, Ivar Jenner, Thom Haye, Calvin Verdonk; Marselino Ferdinan, Rafael Struick, Ragnar Oratmangoen.
Coach: Shin Tae-yong

Saudi Arabia:
Ahmed Alkassar (GK); Ali Al Bulayhi, Saud Abdulhamid, Yasir Gharsan, Hasan Al Tambakti; Nasser Al Dawsari, Marwan Al Sahafi, Faisal Alghamdi, Mohammed Al Qahtani, Mohammed Kanno; Feras Albrikan.
Coach: Herve Renard

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