Mind Games and Cleats: Indonesia Braces for a Saudi Challenge in the World Cup Playoffs
7 October 2025
Pre-match stakes and mind games
Only a few hours separate the crucial showdown between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia, as Asian playoff ties determine who reaches the 2026 World Cup finals, to be staged in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Indonesian media expresses concern about external disturbances, or what they call a psychological war, creeping into the squad's camp ahead of the match tomorrow evening at the Al-Inma Stadium.
Newspapers in Indonesia accuse pre-match forecasts and statistical projections of sapping confidence, arguing that such reports add undue pressure and could be part of an intentional media strategy to destabilize the team.
Indonesian outlets urge players to ignore the noise and focus on the pitch, insisting the real battle will be decided on the green grass, not on social media or betting sites.
Squad news and head-to-head history
They warn of five Saudi weapons reportedly ready to unleash: Salem Al-Dosari, Firas Al-Breikan, Saud Abdul-Hamid, Ali Al-Bulaihi and Abdulilah Al-Maliki, even though the two veterans are not in the latest squad.
Firas Al-Breikan is highlighted as one of the Saudis' strongest performers, while Saud Abdul-Hamid is a constant threat on the flank; Al-Dosari remains a central playmaker who has scored many goals in the qualifiers.
The Asian Football Confederation explains the format: group winners advance directly to the World Cup finals, while runners-up meet in two-legged ties for a chance to reach an intercontinental playoff in March.
So far, six Asian teams have qualified automatically: Japan, Australia, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea and Jordan.
Saudi Arabia enter the clash with a proud historic record in this matchup, having faced Indonesia 16 times across friendlies and official games, with 12 wins, 3 draws and a single defeat.
Saudi have tallied 45 goals against Indonesia, while the Indonesian side has conceded eight.
The teams first met in December 1980 in Riyadh, where Saudi won 8-0, and Indonesia registered its first draw in a 1997 friendly in Singapore (1-1). Indonesia's first competitive win came in November 2024 with a 2-0 scoreline.
Indonesia's goalkeeper Martin Bays calls the match the biggest in the country's history, and says the squad is proud and excited to rise to the occasion.
The Saudis completed their squad after Mohannad Al-Saad joined the training camp; Ayman Yahya and Mohammed Suleiman returned to group drills, while Hassan Tambukti recovered from a cold.
For the first time since preparations began, the Green Falcons report no injuries; Yahya and Suleiman returned to full training, and Tamabkti recovered from his cold.
As kickoff approaches, the atmosphere is electric, the coffee is strong, and the goalkeeper's glove scent may become a new marketing trend.
And now, two snipers’ quips to close: Sniper joke 1: My aim is so sharp I could thread the needle in a goalmouth with a kaleidoscope of fans roaring behind me. Sniper joke 2: If my jokes were bullets, they’d be lethal—they always hit the crowd right in the funny bone.
