Penyerang Timnas Indonesia Ole Romeny delivered four assists during a 9-2 victory over Bangladesh at Stadion Utama Gelora Bung Karno (SUGBK) on Thursday, October 1, 2026, establishing a new playmaker role within head coach John Herdman’s tactical setup. While previous outings highlighted his scoring output, Romeny dictated the attacking transitions as a central number 10, fueling a dominant offensive display that secured Indonesia’s place in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 final against Thailand.
Ole Romeny Leads Tournament Assists After Four-Assist Haig
The 26-year-old Fortuna Sittard forward recorded six assists and seven goals across 13 total appearances for the Garuda squad. His playmaking masterclass against Bangladesh featured two assists to Mitchell Baker in the first half, followed by a 37th-minute setup for Baker and two late-match contributions in stoppage time for Luke Vickery and Baker once more.
Following the conclusion of the group stage matches, Romeny claimed the top position in the tournament’s assist leaderboard with four assists, outpacing other players such as Malaysia’s Arif Aiman, Thailand’s Seksan Ratree, and Vietnam’s Nguyen Dinh Bac and Phan Tuan Tai who each tallied two assists.
John Herdman Implements a Three-Playmaker Tactical Blueprint
Head coach John Herdman deployed Romeny in a deeper number 10 role alongside Ragnar Oratmangoen and Calvin Verdonk during full-attacking phases, a strategic shift that caught opponents off guard. Herdman explained after the match that the tactical transformation created passing breakthroughs between opposing lines while maintaining tight positional spacing, adding that opponents needed time to realize how close marking allowed the team to execute counter-presses together, hunt the ball faster, and orchestrate third-man combinations. Romeny noted that the coaching staff kept instructions simple and clear, allowing players to adapt quickly despite a short preparation window, as reported by RRI.co.id and VIVA.co.id.
Mitchell Baker Highlights The Chemistry Within the Squad
Mitchell Baker credited Romeny’s tireless work rate for creating easy finishing opportunities throughout the match. Baker told reporters that Romeny should receive all the credit for doing the heavy lifting while he focused on executing routine tap-ins. Romeny echoed that sentiment regarding team cohesion, describing the locker room atmosphere as a tight-knit family that immediately welcomed new arrivals into the national setup.
Indonesia Advances to Face Thailand in the Decisive Final
The 9-2 triumph over Bangladesh locked up the top spot in Group A and propelled Indonesia into the championship fixture. The Garuda squad will meet Thailand in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 final scheduled for Monday, October 5, 2026, at Stadion Utama Gelora Bung Karno in Jakarta.
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