Kapanlagi.com - A spectacular victory was achieved by the Indonesian National Team in an emotional match against Saudi Arabia, with a score of 2-0 in Group C of the third round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for the Asian zone held at the Gelora Bung Karno Main Stadium (SUGBK) on Tuesday night. Marselino Ferdinan emerged as the star of the match, scoring two goals that secured Indonesia's first victory in this phase.
This brilliant result marks an important turning point for the Garuda squad, providing new motivation to continue their struggle for points. With a total of six points from six matches, Indonesia now only needs an additional three points to reach the minimum target set by PSSI.
On the other hand, Saudi Arabia's coach, Herve Renard, showed sportsmanship by acknowledging his team's defeat. "Congratulations to the Indonesian National Team, they truly deserve to win this afternoon," Renard stated at the press conference after the match. This victory is not just a number on the scoreboard, but also a symbol of hope and revival for Indonesian football.
1. Saudi Arabian Coach Becomes a Meme Victim
In the realm of social media, Saudi Arabian coach, Herve Renard, has not escaped the mockery of memes after his team suffered a defeat.
The Instagram account @seasiagoal cleverly compared this bitter moment to the glory of Saudi Arabia defeating Argentina in the 2022 World Cup.
This post sparked a variety of reactions and comments from netizens, creating an atmosphere filled with jokes and laughter online.
2. Herve Renard Acknowledges Defeat with Sportsmanship
Saudi Arabian coach, Herve Renard, honestly acknowledged Indonesia's superiority in the fiercely contested match. In a press conference, he did not hesitate to praise the home team, who started the match with great enthusiasm.
"We were punished tonight because they played with high intensity," Renard stated. According to him, the defeat revealed his team's weaknesses, especially in defense, where Indonesia's goals came from lapses in handling set pieces and counterattacks.
Nevertheless, Renard remains optimistic about his team's chances of advancing to the next round. "We are still fighting for second place, and I believe we will achieve our goal," he asserted with determination.
3. Analysis of Saudi Arabia's Weakness in Group C
Saudi Arabia is now trapped in fourth place in Group C, sharing points with Australia and Indonesia, but their goal record is the main highlight: only three goals have been scored, while six goals have found their way into their net over six matches.
Coach Hervé Renard is not blind to the fundamental problems plaguing his team, namely the difficulty in scoring goals. "We are unable to score in many matches. That is a reality we have to face," he stated.
He also acknowledged that Indonesia cleverly exploited the gaps in his team's weaknesses, "Football is simple, they played well and showed qualities that deserve a thumbs up," he added.
(kpl/rmt)
Disclaimer: This translation from Bahasa Indonesia to English has been generated by Artificial Intelligence.