Indonesia secured a crucial 1-0 win in their Group C qualifier against Bahrain in Jakarta to increase their hopes of reaching the 2026 World Cup.
It was head coach Patrick Kluivert’s first win in charge after the former Netherlands international lost his opening game 5-1 to Australia last Thursday.
Ole Romeny scored the only goal of the game in the 24th minute as he latched onto Marselino Ferdinan’s pass before beating the keeper.
The win moves fourth-placed Indonesia three points clear of their opponents and China, who are bottom of the six-team group with both the fifth- and sixth-placed teams holding six points.
Japan, who have already secured their qualification for next year’s tournament, were held to a 0-0 draw by third-placed Saudi Arabia.
Australia comfortably won 2-0 in China to consolidate second spot, where they are three points clear of Saudi Arabia but still seven behind Japan.
The top two teams qualify automatically, while third and fourth head to playoffs and fifth and sixth are eliminated from the qualification process.
Second-half Indonesian substitute Tijjani Reijnders blazed a chance high and wide, which would have eased the pressure the home side felt after a much-improved second-half display from Bahrain.
It was Romeny’s cool first-time finish, after a cross from the right, that handed Indonesia the points as they bid to reach only their second World Cup finals.
Their only previous appearance in global football’s showpiece event came in 1938 when they were known as the Dutch East Indies, seven years prior to their independence from the Netherlands.
The post Indonesia beat Bahrain in crucial World Cup qualifier appeared first on Al Jazeera.
