The lack of offensive power set Indonesia against Iraq. Kluivert’s team had the better of the game for a long time, but was not able to make enough of an offensive impact, as was also the case against Saudi Arabia. Ultimately, Indonesia returns home without a single field goal in 180 minutes of football, because both goals against Saudi Arabia were scored by Kevin Diks from eleven meters.
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Kluivert had given his team a major overhaul after the 3-2 defeat against Saudi Arabia. The base had been changed in no fewer than five positions. Yakob Sayuri, Marc Klok, Miliano Jonathans, Beckham Putra and Ragnar Oratmangoen were left out of the starting line-up. In their place played Calvin Verdonk, Rizky Ridho, Thom Haye, Eliano Reijnders and Mauro Zijlstra.
Ole Romeny remains a battering ram
A starting place for Ole Romeny, the Indonesian hope in anxious days, was not yet feasible after a three-month injury period. The striker is extremely popular in Indonesia and has scored 3 goals in his first 5 international matches. Romeny made his return after an ankle injury as a substitute against Saudi Arabia and did so with verve. The Oxford United striker created danger and under pressure from Romeny, a Saudi defender caused the penalty, from which the second Indonesian goal came.
After Oratmangoen was unable to make any progress against Saudi Arabia in the striker position, Mauro Zijlstra was allowed to try this time. The FC Volendam striker has not played a minute for his club this season, but was given the opportunity to play the striker position by Kluivert.
Football mad Indonesia places hope in Ole Romeny in the second play-off match with Iraq in the hunt for a World Cup ticket
FC Utrecht midfielder Zidane Iqbal started on the bench for Iraq. The number 58 in the FIFA world ranking is coached by Graham Arnold, the former national coach of Australia, who is assisted by René Meulensteen. Based on that ranking, Iraq was the favorite beforehand, because Indonesia is only 119e On the ranking.
Poor Iraq
But on the field there was no evidence of this at all. It was extremely poor what the Iraqis put up and there was only one team that played football: Kluivert’s Indonesia. Compared to the match against Indonesia, the Indonesian midfield with Haye and Verdonk performed much better, resulting in much more creativity and drive in Indonesia’s game.
A hard collision between Maarten Paes and Iraqi defender Manaf Younis. After treatment, both can continue the match. © ANP / Associated Press
What was lacking was the ability to really pack a punch offensively. There were some half-chances, but the Iraqi goalkeeper Jalal Hassan was not at all embarrassed by the Indonesian drive.
The 63,000-seat stadium in Jeddah had many empty places, but large groups of supporters from Iraq and Indonesia were present and enthusiastically participated. While Indonesia, as an independent nation, has never been present at a World Cup, Iraq has not been at a World Cup final round since 1986.
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With Ragnar Oratmangoen and Romeny as attacking substitutes ten minutes after the break, Indonesia should become offensively stronger on paper, but the Indonesians were unable to maintain the control that Kluivert’s team had before the break after the break. The match became more balanced and Iraq also became more offensively threatening, while Indonesia managed to make even less of an offensive impact.
Zidane Iqbal hits the target
In the 76e minute it was Iqbal with an effective shot from the edge of the box that tipped the balance in favor of Iraq. In the following, Indonesia tried with all its might to avoid elimination from the World Cup, but there was no real chance of an equalizer, even in the eleven minutes of extra time in which Iraq received a red card, ending the Indonesian fairytale.
There was great anger in Indonesia about the actions of referee Ma Ning from China, who gave Iraqi defender Tahseen a second yellow card after an arm swing in the face of Kevin Diks in the penalty area, but then did not put the ball on the spot, but gave Iraq a free kick. After the final whistle, things became unfriendly and the Indonesia players expressed their emotions and irritations, which resulted in Haye being given a red card.
