Indonesia kept their 2026 FIFA World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 win over China in Jakarta on Thursday, eliminating their opponents from contention.
The decisive moment came just before half-time when Ricky Kambuaya was brought down by Yang Zexiang, earning a penalty. Oli Romeny calmly converted the spot kick to put Indonesia in front.
The victory keeps Indonesia in the race for a place in the final playoff round of the Asian qualifiers. It also dashes China’s hopes of reaching the World Cup for only the second time in their history.
Despite heavy pressure from China throughout the match, Indonesia held firm. The visitors’ best chance came when Han Pengfei headed over from a Serginho corner. Earlier, 18-year-old debutant Wang Yudong impressed but missed the target on a promising counterattack.
Romeny had already threatened with two earlier attempts—one drifting just wide and another saved—before burying the decisive penalty.
In Group C’s other matches, Australia edged Japan 1-0 with a dramatic 90th-minute winner from Aziz Behich. The victory put the Socceroos on the brink of qualifying, while Japan had already secured their spot in the next stage.
Later, Saudi Arabia hosted Bahrain in a crucial fixture. Any result short of a Saudi win would ensure Australia’s advancement, while Bahrain needed three points to stay in contention for the playoff spot currently occupied by Indonesia.
Indonesia will face Japan in their final group match on Tuesday, needing a strong performance to secure a place in the next phase.
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