Saudi Arabia defeated Indonesia 3-2, Qatar and Oman finished scoreless, and the fourth qualifying round began.
Published October 8, 2025
Saudi Arabia defeated Indonesia 3-2 in Group B of the World Cup Asian Qualifiers, boosting their hopes of qualifying for next year’s North American tournament with Feras Albrican’s double.
On Wednesday, Indonesia took the lead with Kevin Dix’s penalty in the 11th minute, but Saleh Abu Al-Shamat equalized six minutes later and despite Dix’s second penalty with two minutes remaining, Al Burikan scored on either side of half-time to secure the points.
Recommended stories
list of 4 itemsend of list
Saudi Arabia will next play Iraq in Jeddah on Tuesday, and it is understood that a win against Graham Arnold’s side will seal their place in December’s draw for the finals to be played in the US, Canada and Mexico.
Indonesia and Iraq will play on Saturday.
The Indonesians took the lead when Dean James swung a free-kick in from the right, Hassan Al Tanbakhti stuck out his arm and Dix stepped forward and clinically placed the spot-kick over Nawaf Al Aqidi.
The lead was short-lived when Al Shamat leaped over Maarten Paes’ diving dive to the left from the edge of the area and fired with his right foot.
The home team took the lead with nine minutes left in the first half. Yacob Sayuri pulled Al Burikan’s shirt unnecessarily, causing referee Ahmad Al Ali to call out to the pitchside monitor, and Kuwait were awarded a penalty, which Al Burikan slammed home.
Al Burikan put the result beyond doubt in the 62nd minute with a clinical finish from close range.
Paes threw himself to his right to block Musab Al Juwail’s low drive, but Al Burikan pounced on the rebound and sent the ball back under the Indonesian goalkeeper’s body.
Dix fired again from the penalty spot after Nawaf Bou Wasl, who had fallen in his own area in a scramble with Ole Romeny, struck the ball with his arm, but Mohamed Kanno was shown a red card in stoppage time, resulting in a tense end for Hervé Renard’s side.
Qatar’s World Cup hopes dashed by brave Oman
Oman held off hosts Qatar in their first match in Group A of the World Cup Asian Qualifiers on Wednesday, ending in a 0-0 draw, ending both countries’ hopes of automatically qualifying for the 2026 tournament.
Qatar captain Akram Afif came closest for Julen Lopetegui’s side to a point at Doha’s Jassim bin Hamad Stadium when he squandered a shot wide of the target in the 49th minute of a tense game with few chances.
Carlos Queiroz’s Oman national team are aiming to qualify for their first World Cup and will face the United Arab Emirates on Saturday in their next match in the three-team group. Qatar will play against the Emirates on Tuesday.
The group winners will qualify directly to the finals, while the team that finishes second will advance to a play-off against the runners-up of Group B, which is being held in Saudi Arabia.
Qatar dominated the early exchanges but struggled to convert that advantage into opportunities. The only midfielder, Boualem Kouki, threatened the Oman goal in the 13th minute with a long-range shot that went wide.
The Omanis were almost on the back foot, but Issam Al-Sabi put them ahead in the 27th minute when he connected with goalkeeper Mahmoud Abu Nada, and late in the second half Amjad Al-Kharti sent a header over the bar.
With Oman in possession in their own half, Afif should have put the hosts ahead just after the interval, but the Asian Player of the Year uncharacteristically took a side-footed shot that hit the wrong side of the post.
Japan, South Korea, Australia, Iran, Jordan and Uzbekistan have already secured six of the eight teams guaranteed a spot in Asia’s 48-team final. There is a possibility that the ninth spot will be available in the intercontinental playoffs in March.
