Australia overpower Indonesia in World Cup qualifier

The Socceroos capitalized on defensive errors and their aerial dominance to maintain second place in Group C with seven points, while Indonesia, struggling to keep up, dropped to fifth.

Indonesia had a golden opportunity to take the lead early when Rafael Struick won a penalty in the seventh minute. However, Kevin Diks struck the post, and the rebound attempt was unsuccessful.

Australia responded quickly, and in the 16th minute, they were awarded a penalty of their own after a VAR review confirmed a foul inside the box. Martin Boyle made no mistake from the spot, calmly slotting the ball down the middle to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.

Just two minutes later, Australia doubled their advantage. A defensive miscue allowed Nishan Velupillay to break free, and he fired past Indonesian keeper Maarten Paes to make it 2-0.

The pressure from the Socceroos continued, and in the 34th minute, Jackson Irvine extended the lead to 3-0. Though his first shot was blocked, Irvine quickly pounced on the rebound and slotted the ball home, leaving Indonesia reeling before halftime.

Australia didn’t ease up after the break. In the 61st minute, they showcased their aerial prowess once again as Lewis Miller powered in a header from a corner, making it 4-0.

Indonesia managed to pull one back in the 78th minute, as Ole Romeny made a determined run and slotted the ball past Mat Ryan. The Australian keeper got a hand to it but couldn’t prevent the goal, giving Indonesia a small consolation.

However, Australia responded in stoppage time, adding a fifth goal in the 90th minute, with Irvine grabbing his second of the match, another well-executed header from a corner.

Indonesia could have changed the game’s trajectory early with their penalty opportunity. But they were only overpowered by Australia’s aerial dominance while their defensive lapses cost them heavily, with Nathan Tjoe-A-On making errors on both of Australia’s first two goals.

With this resounding win, Australia strengthened their grip on second place in Group C, keeping their World Cup qualification hopes on track. Meanwhile, Coach Patrick Kluivert faces a major challenge in regrouping his Indonesian squad ahead of their next qualifiers in June.