January 28, 2024
The 2023 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar had now reached the last 16 knock-out round after the group stages, with the first tie being a match-up between Australia and Indonesia.
Indonesia Background
Although Indonesia had qualified for the Asian Cup Finals on 4 previous occasions, at 149 they were the lowest ranked team to have qualified for the 2023 edition. However, they had strengthened their squad with additions from their diaspora in Europe, and despite 1-3 defeats in their group to Iraq and Japan, a 1-0 victory over 95th ranked Vietnam saw them reach the last 16 for the first time ever as one of the four best third placed sides.
16 of their 26 man squad play their club football in Indonesia, with 11 clubs represented and no side providing more than two players to the national squad. However, six of their legionnaires started their final group game against Japan, with another coming off the bench.
Right-back Sandy Walsh ( 4 caps ), who represented the Netherlands Under 19s before committing to Indonesia, plays in Belgium for KV Mechelen, and scored a late consolation in the defeat to Japan. Spanish born captain and centre-back Jordi Amat ( 16 caps ) played for Swansea City, Eupen, Espanyol and Real Betis and now plays for perennial Malaysian champions Johor Darul Ta’zim.
Dutch born Justin Hubner ( 6 caps ) plays for Wolves although he is yet to play for their first team, midfielder Marselino Ferdinan ( 20 caps ) plays for Belgian second division side Deinze, striker Rafael Struick ( 10 caps ) plays for Dutch side ADO Den Haag and left-back Pratama Arhan ( 42 caps ) has just joined South Korean side Suwon FC from Tokyo Verdy. Defender Elkan Baggott ( 42 caps ) is currently on loan at Cheltenham from Ipswich Town.
Indonesia hold a unique record as the country that has played the fewest matches in World Cup finals, when as Dutch East Indies, they were eliminated from the 1938 finals after playing just one game, a 0-6 loss to eventual finalists Hungary.
Perhaps more famous was their 1998 AFF Championship group match against Thailand, when with both sides already qualified, the winner would have to play hosts Vietnam in the semi-finals. An Indonesian defender deliberately kicked the ball into his net in the final minute despite two Thai forwards trying to stop him, to lose the game. Despite fines to both sides and a ban to the Indonesian player, Indonesia were rewarded with a semi-final against the “weaker” Singapore, but ironically went on to lose 1-2 !
Domestic football in Indonesia has also had its controversies, and in 2022, 135 people were killed and 583 were injured after a stadium crush and a pitch invasion following a home defeat for Malang based Arama in East Java against local rivals Persebaya Surabaya. It was the second deadliest catastrophe in the history of football worldwide.
As a result the start of the 2022/23 domestic season was initially behind closed doors but PSM Makassar, one of the few sides not based on Java, in the province of South Sulawesi finished the season as champions, 9 points ahead of runners-up Persija Jakarta.
Australia Background
Since their transfer from Oceania, Australia have been one of the powerhouses of Asian football, winning the Asian Cup in 2015 with current Tottenham coach Ange Postecoglu in charge, being runners-up in 2011, and qualifying for the last 5 World Cup finals.
In the 2023 World Cup Finals, after a heavy 1-4 loss to France in their opening fixture, 1-0 victories over Tunisia and Denmark saw Australia qualify for the knock-out rounds. However, they were edged out 1-2 by Argentina, eventual winners of the tournament.
With a current FIFA ranking of 25, Australia were the 4th highest ranked nation at the start of the competition, and so theoretical should have been expected to reach the semi-finals of the Asian Cup.
Their progress to the last 16 had been via routine wins over India ( 2-0 ) and Syria ( 1-1 ), followed by a 1-1 draw with Uzbekistan.
With only 4 of the Socceroos squad playing for sides in the Australia A-League, and two of them being back-up goal-keepers, the A-League season continued as normal during the Asian Cup. However, unlike in the past when the Australian squad members played in the highest leagues in Europe, 6 plied their trade in the second level Championship in England, 5 played in Scotland, three played in Bundesliga 2, whilst the rest played in the Netherlands, Belgium, Japan, Norway and Saudi Arabia.
The captain of the side was mask wearing ex-Brighton goalkeeper Matt Ryan ( 89 caps ), who now plays for FC Utrecht, whilst St Pauli midfielder Jackson Irvine had 63 caps. Ex-Dundee United, PSV Eindhoven and Bursaspor left-back Aziz Behlich ( 57 caps ) is now playing back in Australia with Melbourne City. Ryan and Behlich were the only survivors from the 2015 triumph.
Matchday Information
The match was being played in the 15,000 capacity Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Al Rayyan, home to Qatar record title holders Al-Sadd.
The weather at the 14.30 local time kick-off ( 11.30 UK ) was sunny and 25 degrees.
Bet365.com, who live streamed the match, made Australia 1/4 favourites, with Indonesia at 12/1 with the draw at 19/4.
Indonesia made three changes to the starting line-up against Japan, with Baggott, Asnawi Mangkualam ( Port FC in Thailand ) and Shayne Pattynama ( Viking in Norway ) coming in, meaning only two of the side, keeper Ernando Ari and forward Yakob Sayuri played for Indonesian clubs. 6 of the side were 21 years old or younger.
Australia made two changes from their side that started against Uzbekistan, with Bolton Wanderers’ Gethin Jones coming in at right-back whilst Melbourne Victory’s Uruguayan born striker Bruno Fornaroli was selected to play as the centre-forward. This meant that the Aussies also had two home based players starting, with three playing in Scotland and three in the English Football League.
The referee was Mohammed Abdulla Hassan from the UAE,
Indonesia were in an all red kit, with Australia in their familiar gold shirts, green shorts and white socks.
Highlights of matches in the AFC Asian Cup are available of www.the-afc.com as well as the AFC Asian Cup YouTube channel.
Match Report
Although Australia had the first attack, when Irvine hesitated when clear on the left and then crossed poorly towards the far post, it was Indonesia who made a confident, vibrant start. In the 6th minute, Struick got ahead of his marker to flick a left-wing cross over the bar at the near post, and it was against the run of play when they conceded the first goal of the game.
Irvine went past a flimsy tackle to run into the Indonesian penalty area wide on the right, and his shot took a deflection of Baggott. Keeper Ari was wrong-footed and could only push the ball into the net at his near post. The goal was initially credited to Irvine but was subsequently given as an own goal to Baggott, which looked a little harsh. In any case it was 1-0 to Australia after 11 minutes.
Bos then skipped past Mangkualam on the left-wing and his ball into the middle found Fornaroli with has back to the goal. Mangkualam had managed to recover and took the ball off the Aussie centre-forward and got a kick for his troubles, and Fornaroli was unlucky to receive a yellow card.
Australia were getting plenty of joy on their left-hand side and Behlich beat three defenders, but after much promise his cross came to nothing.
For Indonesia, Struick made a strong run down the left but after attempting to turn back, lost control and eventually fouled Irvine. With 23 minutes played Indonesia had their first shot on target when Hubner sent a 25 yard curling effort straight at Ryan, who made a routine catch.
Play then became scrappy with very little happening apart from a yellow card to Mangkualam. The torpor finished with a good Indonesian move in the 38th minute, when Struick found Ferdinan in space on the right, who played a first time cross to the far post. Sayuri arrived beyond the far post but could only volley the difficult chance left footed into the stand.
Indonesia fashioned another nice move two minutes later as Mangkualam’s through pass was touched on by Walsh but Ferdinan blazed over the bar from 20 yards.
The two half chances for Indonesia seemed to wake up the Aussies, as first Irvine got to the by-line but no-one was on the end of his cross, after which Souttar headed a cross back to McGree, but again ,no-one was on hand to finish a cute chip across goal.
Hibernians’ Martin Boyle must have been taking notes as when Jones then played a lovely ball across the goalmouth from the right, Boyle stole in unnoticed to send a diving header from 6 yards inside the far post. 2-0 after 44 minutes.
Indonesia tried to hit back, but Mangkualam couldn’t get to a left-wing cross, then after Pattynama did well to stop the ball going out of play, another ball in from the left was stabbed away by an Australian defender.
At the interval, Australia had scored from their only two shots, whilst Indonesia had only managed one on target from 5 attempts.
The opening 15 minutes of the second half were insipid as Indonesia dominated possession but posed no threat to a solid, well-organised, physically strong Soccoroo defence as Australia seemed content to hold onto their two goal lead.
Substitute Sulaeman suffered a head injury after a challenge with Rowles, with the referee correctly ruling there was no foul, just an unfortunate coming together, and restarted the game with a drop-ball. Almost immediately Struick fouled Jones, who unwisely stuck out a leg in retaliation to trip-up the Indonesian forward. After a bit of a melee, the referee produced a yellow card for Jones, when it might have been a straight red. It was a needless risk to take, and Australian coach Graham Arnold took Jones off shortly after.
Walsh then joined the list of bad boys, bringing down Bos who was running at the retreating Indonesian back-line after picking up a loose pass inside his own half.
In the 72nd minute Australian won a corner, the first attacking action in the half, and followed up with two more ! One of these was punched away by Ari under pressure from Souttar, then 6 minutes later Indonesia won a corner. Ryan punched this one safely away.
After 35 minutes of second half nothing, Australia created a good chance. A glorious ball down the right-hand channel by Boyle put substitute Duke clear, but the attempted chip over the advancing keeper, also went over the bar.
As Indonesia tired, Australia finished strongly. Atkinson fired a low 25 yard effort a foot or two wide, then a lovely turn by Boyle close to the touch-line just inside his own half gave him the space to run at the Indonesian goal until being brought down by Jenner ten yards outside the penalty area. After the free-kick was played out wide, the cross into the 6 yard box was punched away by Ari.
With two minutes remaining, Atkinson went on an overlap and his cross from the right found Irvine unmarked in the central of the goal, 10 yards out. Ari made a decent save to the header, but Craig Goodwin was free to put the rebound into the empty net with his left foot. 3-0 after 88 minutes.
To add salt into Indonesian wounds, they conceded another in added on time. Goodwin’s in-swinging free-kick was met by Souttar, whose headed flick from 6 yards gave Ari no chance, and remarkably it was an 11th international goal in 26 appearances for the Leicester City centre-back. 4-0 after 91 minutes.
At the final whistle, the score flattered Australia and was harsh justice to Indonesia after a spirited performance against their much higher ranked opposition. However, after an effective and efficient performance, Australia fully deserved to progress to the quarter finals where they will face either South Korea or Saudi Arabia. Whilst it looks a tough tie for Australia, the Saudis and South Koreans probably won’t fancy facing the Aussies either !
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6flNhLDK7dg
Australia : Ryan – Jones ( Atkinson ), Souttar, Rowles, Behlich – McGree ( Metcalfe ), Baccus ( Goodwin ), Irvine – Boyle, Fornaroli ( Duke ), Bos ( O’Neill )
Indonesia : Ari – Walsh, Amat, Baggott – Mangkualam ( Sulaeman ), Jenner, Hubner, Pattynama – Sayuri, Struick, Ferdinan
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