Indonesia pulled off a remarkable 2-0 victory against Saudi Arabia in Jakarta during their Group C clash in the Asian qualifiers for the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

Marselino Ferdinan, who plays for Oxford United in England's Championship, secured the win with a goal in each half on Tuesday. The triumph marks a historic moment for the Southeast Asian nation, which last appeared at the World Cup in 1938 as the Dutch East Indies.

This victory is Indonesia’s first-ever win in the third round of World Cup qualification, placing them level on points with Saudi Arabia and China in the group standings.

“I am so proud of my team and the country,” said goalkeeper Maarten Paes. “Marselino scored two fantastic goals, and we defended superbly. We knew how important this match was, and this win gives us immense confidence. The group is incredibly tight.”

The match became tense in the later stages, with Indonesia reduced to 10 men after Justin Hubner received a second yellow card for an off-the-ball incident. Saudi Arabia came close to scoring when Mohamed Kanno struck the crossbar.

“Indonesia deserved this win,” Saudi coach Hervé Renard admitted. “We have four games remaining, and it will be tough, but the same applies to everyone else.”

Elsewhere in Group C, Japan moved closer to securing their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance with a 3-1 win over China. The Samurai Blue now lead the group with 16 points from six games, leaving them 10 points clear of second place.

Despite their 7-0 victory over China in September, Japan found it more challenging this time. It took a Koki Ogawa header in the 39th minute to break the deadlock in Xiamen, followed by a second goal from Ko Itakura before the break.

China gave their fans a glimmer of hope when Lin Liangming scored early in the second half, but Ogawa responded with his second goal, sealing the win for Japan.

Meanwhile, in Group A, Uzbekistan bolstered their chances of a maiden World Cup appearance with a 1-0 victory over North Korea. Abbosbek Fayzullaev's first-half goal secured the points, although Jong Il Gwon missed a late penalty for the Koreans, who are hosting their home matches in Laos.

The top two teams from each of the three groups will progress directly to the World Cup, while the third- and fourth-placed teams will advance to the next round of qualification.