Iraq vs Indonesia 1-0, Garuda's Dream of Going to the World Cup Disappeared

JAKARTA, KOMPAS - After suffering a 2-3 defeat to Saudi Arabia in the opening match of the fourth round of the 2026 World Cup Qualification for the Asian Zone, the situation for the Garuda squad has become less than ideal. They are set to face Iraq on Sunday (12/10/2025) in a "do-or-die" match filled with mental pressure. Indonesia failed to advance to the fifth round after being narrowly defeated by Iraq with a score of 0-1.

The pressure to achieve victory, coupled with a poor record against the "Mesopotamian Lions," is undermining the players' mentality. The Garuda team is still haunted by the trauma of a dismal record, which includes three consecutive defeats to Iraq from November 2023 to June 2024.

Indonesia breathes a sigh of relief with the return of Calvin Verdonk and Ole Romeny to face Iraq. The presence of Verdonk, who was absent when Indonesia was defeated by Japan and Australia, ensures a solid defense and smooth transitions in gameplay. Romeny has proven his role in the match against Saudi Arabia and his ability to create dangerous opportunities.

Kluivert fielded a lineup that was significantly different compared to when Indonesia faced Saudi Arabia. In the match against Iraq, Kluivert included Eliano Reijnders and placed great trust in the young player Mauro Zijlstra in the forward position. On the wing defense, Dean James was assigned to the left and Kevin Diks to the right. Jay Idzes and Rizky Ridho, a proven effective defensive duo from previous matches, supported the defense in the central sector. Verdonk was immediately included in the starting lineup, while Romeney was placed on the bench.

Indonesia attempted to break the chain of poor results against Iraq by initiating attacks and ball possession. Throughout the first 30 minutes of the first half, Iraq did not launch many dangerous attacks. The Iraqi defense was not particularly difficult to penetrate, as evidenced by several consecutive opportunities created by Indonesia.

Indonesia's first opportunity arose in the 14th minute following a penetration by Tom Haye from the left wing towards Zijlstra. However, this initial chance did not result in a goal as it went too wide. The second opportunity came a minute later through a header from Zijlstra, which was once again stopped by the Iraqi goalkeeper, Jalal Hasan. The third opportunity occurred in the 25th minute after a header from Ricky Kambuaya in front of the goal aimed at Zijlstra, which unfortunately missed the target.

A minute before the referee blew the final whistle, Dean James' curling shot during the free kick was recorded as Indonesia's last opportunity in the first half. Indonesia received two yellow cards in the first half, one each for Verdonk and Kambuaya.

Entering the second half, Kluivert substituted Kambuaya and replaced him with Ragnar Oeratmangun. This decision was made because Kambuaya had already received one yellow card and had committed several unnecessary fouls against the Iraqi players.

After replacing Kambuaya, Romeney came on in the 56th minute to take the place of Zijlstra, who performed quite well in the first half. However, Zijlstra was unable to convert opportunities into goals despite having several chances.

Iraq changed its game in the second half, becoming faster and bolder in penetrating Indonesia's defensive area. The Mesopotamian Lions no longer sat back waiting for Indonesia's attacks. Instead, they created two dangerous opportunities after breaking through Indonesia's defense with accurate long passes.

The first goal for Iraq was scored in the 75th minute by Zidane Iqbal, who, in a surrounded position, managed to execute an accurate shot from outside the penalty area. The quick strike from the FC Utrecht midfielder was not anticipated by goalkeeper Martem Paes, despite his dive to the left in an attempt to reach the ball. This goal came after Iraq increased the tempo of the game in the second half, forcing the Indonesian squad to defend deep. Iraq was more creative in creating space, allowing them the freedom to take shots.

Iraq's defender, Zaid Tahzeen, received a second yellow card after his elbow struck the face of Kevin Diks during the second half of extra time. Playing with 10 men, Iraq managed to maintain their lead until the match concluded.

Meanwhile, six Indonesian players received yellow cards in a match that was temporarily halted due to the throwing of water bottles by Indonesian spectators onto the field. With this result, Indonesia's dream of participating in the 2026 World Cup has vanished.