Australia’s wastefulness in front of goal cost them in World Cup qualifying once more as they drew 0-0 with Indonesia on Tuesday.
Nestory Irankunda came closest for the Socceroos, hitting the woodwork, as Graham Arnold’s side failed to pick up their first win in the third round of the 2026 AFC World Cup qualifiers.
Indonesia had an early flurry of chances, with Sandy Walsh and Rafael Struick both testing Mat Ryan inside the opening 17 seconds.
Australia dominated after that though, with Harry Souttar seeing a couple of efforts saved in quick succession before Irankunda struck the woodwork from range just after the half-hour mark.
The visitors pushed for an opening in the second half but struggled to create many chances of note as Craig Goodwin had Australia’s only shot on target after the break.
Witan Sulaeman almost snatched it at the end, but missed a glorious chance in the dying seconds, poking a close-range shot wide of the near post under no pressure.
Full Time in Jakarta.#IDNvAUS #Socceroos pic.twitter.com/VLrL4DNT4Z
— Subway Socceroos (@Socceroos) September 10, 2024
Data Debrief: Socceroos fire another blank
Australia suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Bahrain in their last match, with a Souttar own goal compounding their misery that day.
And their lack of a clinical edge cost them once more against Indonesia, as they had 19 shots (five on target); they last recorded more without scoring against the United Arab Emirates in January 2019 in the Asian Cup (22).
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s defence stayed resolute, but they offered little in terms of attacking threat, managing only two shots on target, which both came within a second of each other.
Despite dominating possession and creating more opportunities, the Socceroos once again failed to capitalize on their chances and secure a victory. The frustration of being unable to find the back of the net has become a recurring theme for Australia in their World Cup qualifying campaign.
As they look ahead to future matches, Graham Arnold’s side will need to work on their finishing and converting opportunities into goals to avoid further disappointments. The resilience of Indonesia’s defense also played a crucial role in denying the Socceroos any clear-cut chances.
For more trending news articles on sports and other topics, visit DeFi Daily News and stay updated with the latest updates and analysis.
