Key events
Indonesia’s major naturalisation program has lifted their quality and options across the pitch and is at least partly behind only five starters from their previous clash with Australia returning to the XI for coach Patrick Kluivert’s first match in charge. Marselino Ferdinan will be the only Indonesian-born player in the starting XI, while the Socceroos have their own import in Martin Boyle.
John Duerden says that a more competitive and expansive Indonesia could be a boost for Australia on as much as off the pitch.
For tournament regulars Australia, a home defeat to Indonesia would be painful but, at least, signal that the two neighbours can push each other to greater heights. Instead of looking to a country on the opposite end of a mighty ocean, there would be one just the other side of the Timor Sea.
Indonesia XI
Indonesia look set to line up in a 3-5-2 formation with their midfield packed with defensive muscle.
Maarten Vincent Paes; Calvin Verdonk, Dean James, Nathan Tjoe A On; Mees Hilgers, Thom Jan Haye, Marselino Ferdinan, Kevin Diks, Jay Noah Idzes (capt); Rafael William Struick, Ole Lennard Romenij.
Australia XI
Tony Popovic made a big call in leaving forward Mitchell Duke out of the squad and has made an even bigger call in leaving pacey attacker Craig Goodwin out of the starting lineup with Martin Boyle to play in his place in a 5-2-3. Maty Ryan is back in goal and will wear the captain’s armband.
Maty Ryan (capt); Lewis Miller, Jason Geria, Cameron Burgess, Kye Rowles, Aziz Behich; Jackson Irvine, Aiden O’Neill; Nishan Velupillay, Adam Taggart, Martin Boyle.
Coach Tony Popovic won’t be letting any complacency creep into his Socceroos side against Indonesia especially with the race for a place at the 2026 World Cup so tight and tense and the neighbouring nation evidently on the rise.
The expectation of the Australian public, is that they should expect their national team to produce and to play good football. Then I expect every Australian to get behind the team tomorrow, which is what we want and we know that that’ll help us tomorrow night.
Preamble
Martin Pegan
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the 2026 World Cup qualifier between Australia and Indonesia at Sydney Football Stadium (known to most in these parts as Allianz Stadium). The Socceroos are out to tighten their rather loose grip on second place in Group C of Asian qualification and edge closer to a spot at next year’s showpiece event in the US, Mexico and Canada.
Coach Tony Popovic’s side currently sit in the critical second place in the group that will in short time automatically qualify for the World Cup. But the margins could hardly be finer with Australia on seven points from six matches, while tonight’s opponents Indonesia, as well as Saudi Arabia, Bahrain and China are just one point behind in the five-way battle for what has become a single prized spot. Tearaway leaders Japan are already on 16 points and all but assured of taking the other spot and could even book their ticket to North America with a win at home against Bahrain tonight or if other results simply fall their way. With Saudi Arabia hosting China in the group’s other clash in the wee hours of tomorrow morning (AEDT), Australia need a positive result in Sydney to at the very least keep their hopes in their own hands.
Indonesia successfully frustrated Australia with a determined, low block when these two sides last met in the second batch of Group C matches last September, holding the six-time World Cup qualifiers to a 0-0 draw in what proved to be coach Graham Arnold’s last match in charge. Popovic took the Socceroos’ reins just days later and first led the team to win at home over China and a gallant draw in Japan, before less impressive performances in draws with Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. That’s the state of play in Group C as we enter classic “must-win” areas which should be more than enough to ensure a tense, cagey contest.
Kick-off is at 8.10pm AEDT. I’ll be back shortly with the line-ups and team news.
Remember to get in touch with any comments, questions, thoughts and predictions. You can shoot me an email, or find me on X @martinpegan and Bluesky @martinpegan.bsky.social. Let’s get into it!
IT’S MATCHDAY IN SYDNEY! 🙌
🆚: Indonesia 🇮🇩
⏰: 8:00pm AEDT
🏟️: Sydney Football Stadium
📱💻📺: Live on 10, Paramount+, 10 Play
📻: ABC Radio via the ABC Listen App#Socceroos #FeelNewSydney— Subway Socceroos (@Socceroos) March 19, 2025
