Saudi Arabia’s 3-2 comeback over Indonesia sparks debate and hope for World Cup 2026

Renard references a domestic classic and analyzes the Indonesia match

The French coach Hervé Renard, head coach of the Saudi national team, recalled the iconic Al-Ahli–Al-Hilal clash in the Saudi league as he commented on the events of the Green’s match against Indonesia today in the AFC Asian playoff for the 2026 World Cup.

Saudi Arabia fought to a 3-2 victory over Indonesia at the Al-Inma Stadium, opening Group B of the AFC playoff for the 2026 World Cup.

Classic nods and the game’s turning points

In the post-match press conference, Renard said: “We conceded a penalty at the start, but our response was excellent. We went ahead and should have closed it out; we must not let late mistakes creep in.”

He added: “The reaction was remarkable; I don’t recall us creating so many clear chances. The key is to finish when you dominate.”

“In football, focus can dip,” he continued, “so when you control a game, you have to seal it quickly.”

Upcoming challenge against Iraq

Renard also spoke about the upcoming Iraq fixture, saying: “We’ll play Iraq with full focus. The competition isn’t over; we have a real chance to qualify, and we must go after it with faith and perseverance.”

He refused to comment on refereeing, noting: “As a coach you might talk to the fourth official with some emotion, but I don’t want to misinterpretations; let’s focus on the next match.”

Renard and the players

Renard praised his players, especially the two scorers against Indonesia, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat and Firas Al-Bariqan, stressing his trust in them and the rest of the squad.

“As a coach you cannot work without trust in your players… They have a clear goal and strong determination to reach the World Cup. I’ve known Firas Al-Bariqan for six years; he delivered a superb performance. Saleh Abu Al-Shamat wasn’t with us before, but you can see in his eyes how much he wants it,” Renard said.

He continued: “Playing in the World Cup is a different challenge. You might shine in league or Asian Champions League, but the World Cup is another level. Abu Al-Shamat is a wonderful talent and showed a top performance. He can make a difference, though it’s tough to play at full pace for more than 65 minutes.”

Renard concluded: “Sometimes a player soars after two successful internationals, but it’s essential to keep working and developing to maintain form.”

Kluivert’s assessment

On the other side, Dutch coach Patrick Kluivert, Indonesia’s boss, praised Saudi Arabia as a “strong team full of talented players.”

He said, “We faced a great side, technically skilled and hard to track at times.”

Yet the former Barcelona star argued the defeat was not entirely fair, noting that Indonesia started well but conceded easy goals, and that they played with grit: “Football is football; the first half was excellent, but we conceded easy goals and the result feels unfair.”

He defended the match officials, adding: “The referees did a good job; there’s no need to criticize them over this game.”

A marathon finish

Indonesia surged ahead in the 11th minute through Kevin Diks from a penalty, but Saleh Abu Al-Shamat equalized in the 17th minute. Firas Al-Bariqan converted a Saudi penalty in the 36th minute, then extended the lead with another goal in the 61st minute. In the closing moments, Kevin Diks struck a second Indonesian penalty in the 88th minute, making it 3-2, but Saudi held on for the win.

With this dramatic result, Saudi Arabia moved a step closer to the 2026 World Cup finals, leading Group B of the AFC Asian Qualifiers with three precious points and awaiting their next test vs. Iraq at the Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah.

According to the qualification system, the group winner advances directly to the World Cup finals, while the runner-up faces a two-legged playoff against the other group’s runner-up to determine the final qualifier to the global playoff.

The other teams in Group 1 of the AFC Qualifiers are Qatar, UAE, and Oman.

Punchline 1: If football were a sniper, every goal would be a precise shot—just don’t miss the target before the clock runs out.

Punchline 2: And if the defense ever goes “missing,” don’t blame the players—blame my calendar; even my jokes have deadlines.