Jakarta. Indonesia's national team coach, Shin Tae-yong, is confident his team can secure a spot in the top four of the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for the Asian zone after a 2-0 victory over Saudi Arabia at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium in Jakarta on Tuesday.

"By winning tonight's match, it seems like we can achieve our goal of positioning ourselves in third or fourth place," Shin said in the post-match press conference.

The 2-0 win has greatly improved Indonesia's chances of finishing in the top four. Currently, Japan leads Group C with 16 points, followed by Australia with 7 points. Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and China each have 6 points, with positions determined by goal difference.

"There are still two more matches at home, and we have a chance to make it into the top four. The players feel it, and we definitely can. Tonight’s victory is great motivation for the players to qualify for the next round," he added.

Marselino Ferdinan secured the win with goals in the 32nd and 57th minutes. Despite playing with 10 men after Justin Hubner's second yellow card in the 89th minute, Indonesia held their lead until the final whistle.

Shin Tae-yong is optimistic that Indonesia can break into the top four with four remaining matches, including two home games against Bahrain and China. If they finish third or fourth, Indonesia will have a chance to advance to the fourth round of qualifiers, which would bring them closer to the 2026 World Cup.

The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Chairman Erick Thohir also aims for Indonesia to secure a top-four finish to continue their World Cup journey through the fourth round.

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia's head coach, Herve Renard, acknowledged Indonesia's 2-0 win, blaming his team’s lackluster performance throughout the match.

Renard attributed the loss to his team’s approach, saying they treated the match like a friendly, while Indonesia played with intensity and punished them for it. He took full responsibility for the result.