Jakarta, Indonesia (AFP/DT) – Australia coach Graham Arnold was engulfed in a storm of criticism from home fans and media on Wednesday after the scoreless Socceroos again failed to despatch a low-ranked opponent in World Cup qualifying.
Hoping to rebound from a shock 1-0 loss to Bahrain on home soil last week, the Socceroos were held 0-0 by world number 133 Indonesia in Jakarta on Tuesday in a setback to their hopes of direct qualification for the 2026 showpiece in North America.
READ MORE : In Asia, pope urges Indonesia to live up to promise of ‘harmony in diversity,’ fight extremism
The Socceroos delivered a commanding performance in front of nearly 80,000 fans at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on Tuesday. Despite their dominance, they remain second-from-bottom in Group C, with just one point from their first two qualifying matches.
Australia was unable to score once again, continuing their struggle after a surprising 1-0 loss to Bahrain at home in their opening qualifier.
Despite registering 19 shots and dominating possession—earning 15 corners—against Indonesia, the Socceroos could not find the back of the net.
“It’s been a recurring issue for over a year,” Arnold said, acknowledging the persistent challenges faced by the team.
He commended his players for their dominance on the field despite the challenging atmosphere created by the home crowd but expressed disappointment with the result. “The boys gave their all. They all recognized that their performance in the first game against Bahrain wasn’t up to standard,” he added.
Looking ahead, Australia will face China in Adelaide and then Japan away in the upcoming qualifiers. Despite the setbacks, the Socceroos coach reassured there was no reason for major concern. “We still have eight games left, so it’s not a disaster, but I need to spend some time reflecting,” Arnold stated.
Bayern Munich’s teenage star Nestory Irankunda had Australia’s best opportunity when he struck the post halfway through the match. “It was our game to win, and we should have taken it,” said the 18-year-old Irankunda.
“I struck it perfectly, just one centimeter away,” Irankunda reflected on his near miss.
“Of course, they posed some challenges, but we stayed focused. A point is acceptable, though three would have been preferable,” he added. “We’ll aim to do better in the next round.”
Portsmouth midfielder Sam Silvera expressed frustration over the team’s finishing. “We made significant progress compared to our previous game, but we still lacked the final touch to convert our chances into goals.”