Iraq wins 2-0 over Indonesian counterpart in 2026 World Cup qualifier
Iraqi and Indonesian players during the World Cup qualifier held at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta. Photo: Timas Indonesia
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi football team won 2-0 on Thursday in the match against their Indonesian counterpart in a thrilling World Cup qualifier held at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.
Despite a strong first-half performance and dominant possession by the Indonesian team, which was encouraged by thousands of home supporters, Iraq showed resilience during the first half, which ended goalless.
In the 17th minute, Ibrahim Bayesh believed he had given Iraq the lead with a header, but a foul disallowed the goal.
The game changed dramatically in the second half. After six minutes, Iraq was given a penalty after Indonesia’s defender, Justin Hubner, committed a handball.
Iraq took the lead after Aymen Hussein scored the first goal in the game from a penalty shot.
In the 59th minute, the Iraqi team continued to push forward, taking advantage of their numerical superiority, after the captain of the Indonesian team, Jordi Amat, was given a red card.
Indonesia’s dreams were shattered in the 88th minute after Indonesia’s goalkeeper Ernando Ari made a critical mistake, allowing Ali Jasim to score Iraq’s second goal, securing its 2-0 victory.
The match is the third between the two teams since Iraq achieved a 2-0 victory over Indonesia in Asia Cup qualifying in November 2013.
In mid-January, Iraq secured a 3-1 victory against Indonesia in a highly competitive match during the 2023 AFC Asian Cup’s Group D, earning all three points.
The Iraqi football team recorded a 5-1 win over Indonesia last November in their first match in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
In their eight previous encounters, Indonesia suffered defeats in seven matches and has yet to secure a victory against Iraq.
The sole draw between Iraq and Indonesia occurred in a World Cup qualifying match in March 1973, where the game ended in a 1-1 deadlock.