Indonesia faced a 2-0 defeat against hosts Qatar in their 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup opener, sparking outrage over a pivotal refereeing decision. The match at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium saw Indonesia's frustration peak when VAR intervened to award Qatar a penalty just before halftime. The decision came after Indonesia's captain was deemed to have fouled a Qatari player in the box, leading to a successful conversion by Khalid Ali Sabah.
Despite Indonesia's competitive performance in the first half, the penalty setback altered the course of the game. Shortly after the restart, Indonesia was reduced to ten men when a player received a second yellow card for a challenge that was met with controversy. Qatar capitalized on their numerical advantage, extending their lead with a stunning freekick that hit the back of the net.
As the match progressed, Indonesia found themselves down to nine men following another contentious decision that involved VAR. The Indonesian team expressed frustration over the refereeing decisions, with coach Shin Tae-Yong criticizing the officiating in a post-match conference.
Looking ahead, Indonesia must regroup quickly as they face upcoming matches against Australia and Jordan in the group stage. The team will be without key players due to suspensions, posing a challenge as they aim to bounce back from the defeat against Qatar.
Despite the setbacks, Indonesia demonstrated their ability to compete against strong opponents like Qatar. The focus now shifts to how they will respond to the early adversity and whether they can overcome the obstacles in their path to progress in the tournament.
