1 month ago
54
November 20, 2024 | 11:06 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Indonesian national team exceeded the achievements of Vietnam and Thailand in the World Cup Qualifiers Asia zone third round after defeating Saudi Arabia 2-0 at Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium, Jakarta, on Tuesday night.
Winning against Saudi Arabia earned Indonesia six points out of six matches in the 2026 Asia zone World Cup Qualifiers third round, placing them third in the temporary Group C standings.
The six points achieved by the Garuda squad made Indonesia the most successful Southeast Asian country in the Asia zone World Cup Qualifiers third round, surpassing Vietnam and Thailand.
In the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers Asia zone Group B third round, Vietnam managed to secure a total of four points from 10 matches by drawing against Japan and defeating China.
Meanwhile, in the 2018 World Cup Qualifiers Asia zone Group B third round, Thailand secured two points from 10 matches by drawing against Australia and the United Arab Emirates.
The achievements of the Shin Tae-yong-led squad in this Asia zone World Cup Qualifiers third round can still be improved, especially since Calvin Verdonk and his colleagues still have four more matches to go.
Furthermore, Indonesia also has the opportunity to become the first Southeast Asian country to advance to the fourth round of the World Cup Qualifiers if they ultimately finish third or fourth in the final standings.
Moreover, Indonesia could compete in the World Cup again after last participating in the 1938 edition when it was still known as the Dutch East Indies, if they manage to conclude the qualifiers in the top two positions.
Next, the Indonesian national team is scheduled to play the remaining Group C matches in the 2026 Asia zone World Cup Qualifiers against Australia (March 20, 2025), Bahrain (March 25, 2025), China (June 5, 2025), and Japan (June 10, 2025).
Summary of Group C Results in the 2026 Asia Zone World Cup Qualifiers
September 5, 2024
Japan 7-0 China
Australia 0-1 Bahrain
Saudi Arabia 1-1 Indonesia.
September 10, 2024
China 1-2 Saudi Arabia
Indonesia 0-0 Australia
Bahrain 0-5 Japan.
October 10, 2024
Australia 3-1 China
Bahrain 2-2 Indonesia
Saudi Arabia 0-2 Japan.
Tuesday, October 15, 2024
Japan vs Australia 1-1
China vs Indonesia 2-1
Saudi Arabia vs Bahrain 0-0.
November 14, 2024
Australia vs Saudi Arabia 0-0
Bahrain vs China 0-1.
November 15, 2024
Indonesia vs Japan 0-4.
November 19, 2024
China vs Japan 1-3
Indonesia vs Saudi Arabia 2-0
Bahrain vs Australia 2-2.
Group C Standings in the 2026 Asia Zone World Cup Qualifiers
| No | Country | Matches | Wins | Goals | Points |
| 1 | Japan | 6 | 4 | 22-2 | 16 |
| 2 | Australia | 6 | 1 | 6-5 | 7 |
| 3 | Indonesia | 6 | 1 | 6-9 | 6 |
| 4 | Saudi Arabia | 6 | 1 | 3-6 | 6 |
| 5 | Bahrain | 6 | 1 | 5-10 | 6 |
| 6 | China | 6 | 2 | 6-16 | 6 |
.
After playing 10 matches, the top two teams in the standings will qualify for the final round of the 2026 World Cup. The third and fourth-placed teams will fight again in the fourth round to secure additional final round tickets. Meanwhile, the fifth and sixth-placed teams will be eliminated.
So, what are Indonesia's chances of qualifying? The chances are now very much open. With four matches remaining, including home matches, Indonesia still has the chance to finish in third or fourth place and compete in the fourth round.
Indonesia's Remaining Schedule in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers:
March 20, 2025
Australia vs Indonesia
March 25, 2025
Indonesia vs Bahrain
June 5, 2025
Indonesia vs China
June 10, 2025
Japan vs Indonesia.
Editor's Choice: Erick Thohir Hails Indonesian National Team After Beating Saudi Arabia 2-0; Talks About Tactical Changes & Qualification Chances
Click here to get the latest news updates from Tempo on Google News
Indonesia's Marselino Ferdinan Explains Why He Sat on Ball Boy Chair After Scoring into Saudi Arabia's Goal
1 jam lalu
Indonesian national team midfielder, Marselino Ferdinan, is in the spotlight after successfully bringing the Garuda squad to win 2-0 against Saudi Arabia.
Ivar Jenner Talks About 'Dirty' Tactics of Saudi Players as the Indonesian National Team Wins 2-0
2 jam lalu
Indonesian national team player Ivar Jenner said that the 'dirty' game applied by Saudi Arabia is something that can usually happen in football.
Erick Thohir Hails Indonesian National Team After Beating Saudi Arabia 2-0; Talks About Tactical Changes & Qualification Chances
4 jam lalu
General Chair of Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) Erick Thohir appreciates performance of Indonesia National Team after securing 2-0 victory against Saudi Arabia in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
Shin Tae-yong Reveals Reason for Changing Strategy in Indonesia vs Saudi Arabia Match in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
4 jam lalu
The Indonesian national team managed to secure their first victory in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the Asian zone after defeating Saudi Arabia 2-0.
2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Saudi Arabia Coach Herve Renard Says Indonesian National Team Deserves to Win
5 jam lalu
Saudi Arabia National Team coach, Herve Renard, considers his team deservedly punished with a 0-2 defeat against the Indonesian National Team in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
Shin Tae-yong Reveals Key to Indonesia's Win Over Saudi Arabia in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers
10 jam lalu
Indonesia team coach Shin Tae-yong reveals the key to his team's victory over Saudi Arabia in the third round of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers.
Prabowo Watches Indonesia vs Saudi Arabia Match on Cell Phone During State Visit
11 jam lalu
Indonesia climbs to third place in the preliminary standings of Group C in the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in the Asian Zone.
2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Indonesia vs Saudi Arabia Ends 2-0, Marselino Ferdinan Scores Brace
13 jam lalu
The Indonesia vs Saudi Arabia match ended with a score of 2-0 in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Marselino Ferdinan scored two goals.
Erick Thohir Talks of Potential Indonesian Hajj Village in Mecca
16 jam lalu
SOE Minister Erick Thohir has addressed President Prabowo Subianto's vision of establishing an Indonesian hajj village in Mecca.
Indonesia vs Saudi Arabia; Herve Renard Optimistic to Make New History
17 jam lalu
Coach Harve Renard seeks his first win with Saudi Arabia when they take on Indonesia in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on November 19.
