Ole Romeny scored for the second consecutive match, keeping Indonesia’s 2026 World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Bahrain in a fiery encounter on Tuesday at Gelora Bung Karno.
After Bahrain controversially snatched a point from Indonesia in their first encounter in Riffa last October, the return match in Jakarta turned into a heated grudge match. Indonesian fans, still harboring resentment over that dramatic 2-2 draw and reeling from Timnas Garuda’s crushing 5-1 defeat in Australia, packed Gelora Bung Karno, transforming it into a sea of red and white. With no Bahrain supporters claiming their share of tickets, Indonesia enjoyed a massive advantage, as the sold-out stadium was entirely filled with passionate home fans.
Tensions escalated further when Bahrain head coach Dragan Talajic took a jab at Indonesia’s naturalization program, remarking that “they have millions of people but still need players from the Netherlands.”
Fittingly, it was two homegrown Indonesians who orchestrated Bahrain’s downfall. Marselino Ferdinan delivered the crucial assist to his Oxford United teammate Romeny for the game’s only goal, while Rizky Ridho proved himself to be on par with his Serie A-caliber defensive partner, Jay Idzes, making a series of vital blocks and interceptions to keep Maarten Paes’ goal untouched throughout the match.
Substitutes Ricky Kambuaya and Ramadhan Sananta also showcased their value as Indonesia’s homegrown talents, with Kambuaya particularly standing out with an impressive performance in midfield.
With Indonesian fans jeering every Bahraini touch, the hosts created the match’s first real opportunity in the 15th minute. Thom Haye unleashed a blistering free-kick from a tight angle, forcing Bahrain goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla into a sharp save to parry the danger away.
Nine minutes later, the deadlock was broken. Marselino weaved his way through the Bahrain defense before picking out Romeny, who deftly sidestepped the onrushing Lutfalla and calmly slotted the ball into the back of the net.
Bahrain fought to find a way back into the game, but with the Indonesian crowd figuratively putting them through “hell,” they struggled to create any real danger. Ali Madan was the only player who posed a threat to Paes’ goal in the first half, but the rock-solid partnership of Ridho and Idzes ensured that he and his Bahrain teammates barely got a sniff at the Indonesian defense.
Marselino nearly doubled Indonesia’s lead in the 43rd minute, but he misjudged his header and sent it off target.
Indonesia had multiple chances to extend their lead in the second half, but their wastefulness in front of goal proved costly. Both Marselino and substitute Eliano Reijnders saw their efforts go off target, letting Bahrain off the hook.
To their credit, Bahrain improved after the restart, but the steadfast partnership of Ridho and Idzes once again held firm, denying them any real breakthroughs.
As the final whistle blew, Gelora Bung Karno erupted in celebration. Indonesia had avenged October’s controversy and kept their World Cup dreams alive. Meanwhile, Bahrain’s hopes of direct qualification to the 2026 tournament were dashed—they now face the uphill battle of securing a spot in the fourth round of qualifying.
Indonesia will next face China in Jakarta on June 5, while Bahrain will host regional rivals Saudi Arabia on the same day.