China's World Cup hopes over with 1-0 Indonesia defeat
Ole Romeny scored the only goal, his controversial penalty just before half time following a VAR check leaving China rooted to the bottom of Asian qualifying Group C with one game remaining.
President Xi Jinping once said he wanted China to win the World Cup, but this defeat means they have still only been to the tournament once, in 2002.
The result leaves Indonesia in the coveted fourth spot to remain alive in qualifying for next year's tournament in North America.
A sell-out crowd of 76,000 at the Gelora Bung Karno stadium was sent into raptures after the Oxford United striker Romeny tucked away his spot-kick.
The 45th-minute goal proved to be the winner after a VAR review when Ricky Kambuaya went down under minimal contact.
It came at the perfect time for the hosts, just before the break, following a drab first half.
Indonesia have 12 points with one game remaining, with teams finishing third and fourth going into a further round of qualifying for 2026.
Now only Bahrain can catch them but they must beat Saudi Arabia at home later Thursday.
As for China, they have won just two of their nine games in this round of Asian qualifying, losing seven.
Indonesia, now coached by Dutch great Kluivert, are attempting to reach a first World Cup since independence in 1945.
They dominated possession throughout and defended stoutly.
China -- who won the reverse fixture 2-1 in Qingdao -- applied the pressure with their World Cup hopes fading.
After the break Indonesia goalkeeper Emil Audero was forced into a mighty save to keep out Wang Yudong's low shot from the edge of the box.
China's Brazilian-born midfielder Serginho flashed a ball across the six-yard box that only needed a touch, but failed to find a suitor.
In between Chinese attacks, Indonesia kept finding space to create chances but were unable to convert.
Indonesia right-back Kevin Diks found his way into the box but had a shot saved before blazing the rebound wide.
But it was their night, both teams largely cancelling each other out, allowing Indonesia to claim victory and spark wild scenes at the full-time whistle.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
France 24
5 hours ago
- France 24
South Africa seek end to trophy misery in WTC final against Australia
The Proteas have won just one International Cricket Council trophy –- the ICC Knockout -- a forerunner of the Champions Trophy, back in 1998, alongside a list of agonising near-misses. By contrast the top-ranked Australians, who beat India in the 2023 WTC final, have an enviable record at the sharp end of tournaments in the white-ball game. They have won the one-day World Cup a record six times, lifted the Champions Trophy twice and have also triumphed at the T20 World Cup. "It is different," Bavuma said ahead of the WTC final at Lord's starting on Wednesday. "Australia have had success. They know what they need to do." But the 35-year-old batsman is adamant South Africa will not be overawed when facing Pat Cummins' team. "For us it is about being confident in our ability," said Bavuma. "We haven't been handed this opportunity to play in the final, we have performed accordingly. We respect them (Australia) but it is still a 50-50 chance in our eyes." Heartache has been the recurring theme of South Africa's history at global events going back to the 1992 World Cup, when they returned to the international fold after two decades of exclusion as a result of the country's apartheid regime. South Africa reached the semi-finals only for a cruel rain rule, that left them needing 21 off one ball, to wreck their chances against England in Sydney. That set a pattern for the next three ODI World Cups. South Africa dominated their group stage in Pakistan in 1996 before falling to a Brian Lara-inspired West Indies in the quarter-finals. A farcical run-out with the scores tied in a 1999 semi-final against Australia meant they were eliminated on net run-rate. On home soil in 2003, rain and a miscalculation of the run-rate formula against Sri Lanka led to an embarrassing group-stage exit. Not until last year's T20 World Cup did South Africa reach a major final. Finally, a trophy was in sight as a rampant Heinrich Klaasen took South Africa to within 30 runs of victory with 30 balls and six wickets remaining. But Klaasen was dismissed, Jasprit Bumrah bowled superbly and David Miller fell to a sensational boundary catch in the last over as South Africa fell short yet again. Springbok lessons Test cricket, however, is one format in which South Africa have ruled the world. They topped the rankings under Graeme Smith's leadership in 2009 and held the ICC Test Mace –- before the World Test Championship was introduced –- from 2013 until 2015. Bavuma is the only survivor from an era when South Africa could boast world-class players including Smith, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, AB de Villiers, Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Vernon Philander. Fast bowler Kagiso Rabada is the only current player who would be a contender for a place in a South Africa all-time team. But Bavuma has an impressive record of eight wins and a draw in the nine Tests in which he has captained. The skipper lauded coach Shukri Conrad for helping create a strong team spirit, saying: "We don't boast legendary names. For us to achieve what we have is a tribute to him." Conrad has spent time with Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus in a bid to sharpen his side's winning edge. Erasmus has guided South Africa to back-to-back Rugby World Cup titles, with the Springboks showing extraordinary mental strength in winning three successive knockout matches by a single point on the way to their 2023 triumph in Paris. "Obviously they are doing a lot of things right," said Conrad, who was clear about the key lesson he had learned from Erasmus. "Playing for the Springboks has got to be the biggest thing -- playing for the Proteas has got to be the biggest thing for our players," he explained. "That is what we have to hone in on."
France 24
6 hours ago
- France 24
Venezuela boost qualification hopes as Colombia falter
A calamitous fifth-minute own goal from Hector Cuellar and a 30th-minute strike from veteran forward Salomon Rondon ensured the three points for the Vinotinto in Maturin. The victory, which came after a frustrating night for Colombia, left Venezuela in seventh place on 18 points - three points behind Colombia and Uruguay. Venezuela travel to Uruguay on Tuesday knowing a win would put them in real contention for a top six spot and an automatic place in next year's tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. The final two games for Uruguay come in September when they are away to already qualified Argentina before a potentially crucial last match at home to Colombia on September 6. The top six teams in South America qualify directly for the World Cup with the seventh placed country entering the inter-confederation playoffs. Bolivia gifted the home side the lead when Cuellar played a gentle back pass towards his goalkeeper Guillermo Viscarra who somehow failed to control the ball which passed through his legs and into the net. The much-travelled Rondon, Venezuela's all-time top scorer, doubled the lead on the half hour when he brought down a cross from the right and under pressure buried the ball in the corner with his left foot. Jon Aramburu should have made it 3-0 in the 68th minute when he was set up by Rondon but side-footed wide. Eighth-placed Bolivia, who now fall four points behind Venezuela, went close to pulling a goal back in the 75th minute when Lucas Chavez's effort grazed the outside of the post. Colombia, runners-up in the Copa America last year, are making life difficult for themselves after being held by second to last Peru in Barranquilla, extending their winless run in the CONMEBOL qualifiers to five games. Missing the suspended Liverpool winger Luis Diaz, Colombia lacked creativity in attack against a resilient Peru back line and they were booed off the field at the final whistle. "Two fundamental things were missing to win the game, which was the final third and precision. And I think Peru defended very well. They made it difficult for us in that sense," said Colombia's Argentine coach Nestor Lorenzo. Colombia face Argentina in Buenos Aires on Tuesday. Argentina, who are on 34 points, are assured of top spot in the group while Ecuador and Paraguay are on 24 points ahead of Brazil on 22. Just six points separate second-placed Ecuador from seventh-placed Venezuela with three rounds of games remaining.
France 24
11 hours ago
- France 24
Tuchel urges tired England to find 'energy' in Andorra qualifier
Tuchel knows the pressure is on to deliver a hefty victory in Barcelona against an Andorran team sitting 173rd in FIFA's world rankings. Tuchel's reign as England boss started with comfortable wins against Albania and Latvia at Wembley. Now the German takes the Three Lions on the first away trip of his reign and Andorra, who have lost all six previous meetings, should pose little threat to his unbeaten record. But Tuchel cited the motivational difficulties posed by the summer international break, which comes after a draining season and just before several of his players jet off to the Club World Cup. "I can fully understand that this is not the easiest time of the season for an international break," Tuchel told reporters on Friday. "The players come from a short break of holiday, from a long and tiring season and then accepting again the role. "It can be demanding but what I feel from the group is they are happy to be here. "We are quite new together, it's our second camp and I have trust and belief that we will do what is necessary to get the result that we want. "It is on us to keep the tempo high. It is on us to bring the attacking energy to the pitch and to do this in a relentless way." Tuchel used Spain's 5-0 win over Andorra in 2024 -- in which the tiny principality trailed only by one goal at half-time -- as evidence that England should not take a huge victory for granted. 'Test of our patience' "It is important not to over expect from us in terms of already a clear result, biggest chances, goals already after 10 or 20 minutes, and get impatient and get frustrated with ourselves," he said. "I think it's a test of our patience. Andorra played against Spain and it was 1-0 at half-time with a set-piece. "It's a World Cup qualifier. Respect your opponent, you respect the quality, the defensive organisation of your opponent and you understand how difficult it is to break down." Tuchel and his players have spent the week in Spain to aid team bonding and help prepare for the 2026 World Cup, which will be staged in sweltering conditions in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Cycling in sauna-like conditions and testing on their core body temperature have formed part of the camp, while the temperature is forecast to be 26 degrees Celsius come kick-off on Saturday. "We just tried to figure out how the players individually react to heat because it will be a very hot and humid World Cup," said Tuchel, who will be without Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins due to a "minor" injury. "We did this so that we can provide individual cooling systems and individual electrolyte drinks and so on." Nine England players, including captain Harry Kane, will play in the Club World Cup after Tuesday's friendly against Senegal in Nottingham. But Tuchel hopes their impending commitment in the US doesn't prove a distraction. "You get just lost if you think now about the Senegal game and then you think about the Club World Cup. Then you just lose focus," he said. "We take it step by step. We will have a serious line-up tomorrow and we think the line-up is exactly the line-up that gives us the biggest chance to put the game in our way. "After the match, we take decisions for the Senegal match and we can maybe then think a little bit more about individual players who go after that to the Club World Cup, but tomorrow, it's a full focus on the World Cup qualifier." © 2025 AFP
