38 mins: The ball is living in Australia’s front half but Indonesia threaten to counter after clearing a corner. Irankunda tracks back to shut it down any looming threat with a tackle in the centre of the pitch.

35 mins: Goodwin is through on goal after gathering a scything pass from Baccus but with only the keeper to beat he slams the ball straight at Paes standing tall. The winger needed to do better there but Australia are in the ascendancy.

33 mins: Irankunda strikes from distance and very nearly scores. Indonesia keeper Paes was beaten but the ball rumbles into the bottom of post. This has been an exciting start from Australia but they are still to make the hosts pay.

29 mins: Aziz Behich picks out Irankunda streaming into the box with a sublime cross but the former Adelaide United prodigy is closed down at the last second. The corner count is mounting up for Australia as they are making all the play while the Indonesia defence at least stands resolute so far.

26 mins: Sammy Silvera is looking lively down the right and so far is making the most of his opportunity. Irankunda, meanwhile, is buzzing around, dropping into midfield when needed or finding space when Australia are in attack.

23 mins: Australia keep the foot on the throat as they push forward again while Indonesia can only scramble the ball away for another corner. This one is much better from Goodwin and he picks out Souttar at the far post, but the towering defender can only head the ball down as Paes knocks it away on the bounce

20 mins: Three chances in a matter of seconds for Australia and somehow Indonesia keep the ball out of the net. The best fell to Circati with a volley that was heading towards the open side of the goal before a fortunate block by a defender. Souttar followed up with a low rocket that Paes was able to knock down then parry away. Positive signs!

18 mins: Another corner and again Goodwin drops it short. Calvin Verdonk clears it out and there is plenty of by-play around Souttar towering over all else in the box.

15 mins: Australia are spreading the field now with some positive play, shifting the ball from side to side while Indonesia are pinned back. There is more energy than we saw against Bahrain last week, but their efforts are yet to lead to any chances.

12 mins: Australia earn a corner and Indonesia seem to well aware of the looming threat as there is plenty of jostling in the box before Goodwin shuffles in and sends a cross too flat. The Socceroos appear to have weathered the storm, at least for the time being, and are starting to play with more confidence as they move the ball around quickly.

9 mins: A little bit of the sting goes out of the match, which is just what the Socceroos would have wanted, but the crowd are quick to call for a yellow card to Goodwin for a late challenge on Jenner.

Martin Stephens has written in to say there might be much more to come from the 78,000 fans at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium:

“I read that the Aussies said they would not be intimated by the crowd at Gelora Bung Karno. I’ve been to several matches there and I can tell you the crowd is seriously intimidating. The noise is crazy and the vibe is edgy. But they can also very quickly turn on their own team if things go badly.”

6 mins: Australia relieve the pressure with a short period of possession in their front half. Irankunda gives Indonesia keeper Paes a scare as he closes him down quickly, but the gloveman remains composed in his second game for the side after a debut against Saudi Arabia.

3 mins: Indonesia continue to test the visitors as Ragnar Oratmangoen gets in behind the Socceroos defence. Three corners in the opening three minutes before Australia clears. There is a little push on Souttar as he sends the ball long but the referee isn’t interested.

1 min: Peep peep! Indonesia kick off and Gelora Bung Karno Stadium is in full voice. And almost immediately the Socceroos’ keeper Maty Ryan is called into action with a shot from the edge of the box. Ryan gets down low quickly enough to force a corner.

And just as the captains come together for the toss of the coin, Rob Haigh has given the Socceroos the hair dryer treatment with a last-minute rev up over email:

“After that disastrous result, the Socceroos OWE the nation BIG TIME!….pull yer socks up guys and GRAFT, lets see who steps up to the plate and says ‘I’m gonna score goals’…..NO EXCUSES NOW…..WIN AND WIN BIG!!”

It’s hard to disagree.

A reminder, if you’re just checking, that Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has swung five changes to the starting XI with Nestory Irankunda and Sammy Silvera among those added to the line-up. Teenage sensation Irankunda might well be starting alongside Mitch Duke in a 4-4-2 formation – all will be confirmed in a minute or two, as the national anthems are winding down.

Australia have warmed up with a nod to the past but are now making their way onto the pitch in their more familiar yellow kit. Indonesia emerge in all white and we’re just moments away from kick-off.

This will be the 17th A international between the two sides with Australia holding a 12-1 advantage on top of three draws, though this is the first encounter at this venue since 2009.

The last clash was at the Asian Cup earlier this year as the Socceroos made their way into the last 16 with a 4-0 victory after an early own goal forced Indonesia to change how they were set up to play. Martin Boyle, starting as a substitute today, headed home just before half-time, while Craig Goodwin added a third and Harry Souttar sealed the win in stoppage time.

We’re 15 minutes from kick-off and Gelora Bung Karno Stadium is a sea of red.

Socceroos coach Graham Arnold has demanded a response to the tame defeat to Bahrain, when Australia only had four shots on goal from 70% possession, even as his side faces Indonesia in front of 78,000 fans.

“We know their strengths, we know their system that they play and their style that they play,” Arnold said. “It’s just about getting our game right and making sure our mentality [is good]. We obviously didn’t have the right result the first game but for me it’s about seeing the reaction from the players in this game.”

Indonesia will be far from the easy beats that their Fifa ranking of 133 might suggest, even if Australia were able to brush them aside with a resounding 4-0 triumph at the Asian Cup just seven months ago. Indonesia’s performance in Saudi Arabia would have been welcomed by the Socceroos, as it prevented their rivals from opening up a three-point gap over them in the race for a top-two spot, but that is where the degree of comfort should end.

As John Duerden explains, this is a vastly different side to the one that Australia faced earlier this year, especially as “nine of the 11 who took the field at the King Abdullah Sports City were born in Europe and, due to Indonesian heritage, naturalised.”

It is not only the XI on the pitch that the Socceroos will have to contend with, but also the 78,000 fans in the stands at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

A quick reminder of how we got here. Australia coasted through the initial two phases of 2026 World Cup qualification, looking most impressive in the second round as they piled on 22 goals while conceding zero is six commanding victories from as many matches.

But a lacklustre display that ended in a disappointing defeat to Bahrain last week leaves this as almost a must-win game against Indonesia. Bahrain frustrated the highly fancied Australia before their belated smash ‘n grab, but you would hope coach Graham Arnold took some harsh lessons from the loss rather than just reaffirmation that Asian teams know how to niggle the Socceroos.

“You could see physically they were ready for us,” Arnold said after the match. “It was just one of those nights … if there’s any learning curve it’s the frustration around play-acting. They parked the bus, six at the back, had numbers … these types of things happen in football, it’s how you get over it.”

Indonesia XI

Australia XI

Preamble

Martin Pegan