Saudi Fireworks Ahead of Indonesia Clash: Asia’s World Cup Playoff Sparks a Battle in Jeddah
5 October 2025
Match Preview
The Saudi national team is preparing to face Indonesia on Wednesday at the Al-Enmaa Stadium in Jeddah, as part of the Asian playoff Group B.
The Indonesia clash comes just days before the meeting with Iraq on October 14 at the same venue.
Indonesia will be without their first-choice goalkeeper Emil Audero of Cremonese due to injury, according to the Dutch coach Patrick Kluivert, who leads the national squad.
The Asian Football Confederation explains the playoff format: winners of the groups qualify directly for the 2026 World Cup, while the runners up meet in home and away matches to reach an intercontinental playoff in March.
So far six Asian nations have qualified for the 2026 World Cup: Japan, Australia, Iran, Uzbekistan, South Korea, and Jordan.
Indonesian Concerns
Indonesian media warned of five Saudi threats ahead of the match: Saud Al Dosari, Firas Al Buraikan, Saud Abdulhamid, Ali Al Bulayhi, and Abdulrahman Al Maliki, even though Ali Al Bulayhi and Abdulrahman Al Maliki are not in Renard's invited squad.
Saudi reporters described Al Buraikan as one of the top Saudis, while Saud Abdulhamid is a key backbone and Al Dosari plays on the wing; Al Dosari has scored several times in the qualifiers and helped lead the team to a win over Argentina in 2022.
A complete squad list from Al Riyadiya newspaper says the Saudi team is ready with few injuries after all players recovered, and Aymaan Yahya and Mohammed Suleiman joined training for the first time.
Mohammed Suleiman recently recovered from an injury that sidelined him from training; Aymaan Yahya also recovered, and Hassan Tambakti overcame a cold.
An innovative training plan, reported by Al Youm, saw the coaching staff test three different balls in goalkeeper drills: the official match ball, an American ball, and a smaller ball to sharpen reaction.
The drills also involved players Mohammed Al Rubaei, Ragid Al Najjar, Nawaf Al Aqidi, and Abdul Rahman Al Sanabi as part of advanced flexibility and rebound tests, reflecting the aim to prepare all players for the decisive playoff.
The Asian confederation appointed Kuwaiti referee Ahmed Al Ali to handle the Saudi Indonesia clash, a choice that drew mixed reactions in Indonesia.
Ahmed Al Ali, born in 1984, earned his international badge in 2016 and has officiated many AFC competitions, including Gulf Cup, Asian Cup, and World Cup qualifiers, with 56 international matches to date and a history of yellow and red cards and penalties.
A projected lineup from Renard, per Al Youm, lists Nawaf Al Qaydi in goal; defense Meteb Al Harbi, Jihad Dhikri, Hassan Tambakti, Saud Abdulhamid; midfield Nasser Al Dosari, Mohammed Kano, Ziad Al Johani; attack Ayman Yahya, Saud Al Dosari, and Firas Al Buraikan.
Closing notes aside, the atmosphere in Jeddah promises a clash rich in strategy, nerves, and a dash of the unexpected as both teams chase World Cup dreams.
Punchline time: If football were a stand-up set, Renard would close with a killer finish and the crowd would still ask for an encore. Punchline two: May the best team win, and may the trophy come with a built-in snack break for the fans—because every goal deserves a celebratory bite of victory pizza.
