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"My players tried their best. But in this match, the referee's decisions were not football, but comedy. I know Qatar is the host but the referee was crossing the line," Shin said after the loss at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha on Monday.
Fielding a 4-2-3-1 formation, Indonesia played counterattacking football. They effectively blocked the opponent's attacks and almost scored in the 39th minute, as Rafael Struick's shot hit the post to the disbelief of thousands of Indonesian fans in the stands. However, the penalty changed everything.
In the 42nd minute, captain Rizky Ridho tackled Mahdi Al Mejaba in the box. Initially, referee Nasrullo Kabirov gave Indonesia a free kick. But after receiving a signal from the VAR room, he gave Rizky a yellow card and handed Qatar a penalty. From the spot, Khaled Ali slotted the ball down the middle.
In the second half, before Indonesia could adjust their tactics, they lost a player. In the first minute of play, Ivan Jenner received a second yellow card and was sent off for a tackle that slightly touched the shoes of the opponent. Referee Kabirov did not review the play on VAR.
"My player had no contact with the opponent, but he received a red card. Why didn’t the referee use VAR in situations like this?" Shin asked.
Things got worse for Indonesia as they conceded a second goal in the 56th minute when Ahmed Al Rawi scored from a beautiful free kick from outside the box. The ball hit the post before going in.
Indonesia ended the match with only nine players on the field. In the fifth minute of injury time, substitute striker Ramadhan Sananta stepped on Emad Aiash's ankle. Referee Kabirov initially gave him a yellow card, but after consulting VAR, he changed it to a red.
"I can't say anything about the players who were sent off. I'm really speechless. Football shouldn't be like this," Shin said. "I really don't understand. We are here to play football but why did the Asian Football Confederation let this happen? What lesson are we getting from this? I don't understand. Fans watched this match on television. If you use referees like this in Indonesia, they will be considered a joke."
U23 Asian Cup 2024: Indonesia 0-2 Qatar
