RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia sent a strong early message at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026 on Tuesday night, January 27, opening the tournament with a commanding 5-0 win over South Korea by imposing high-intensity pressing and clinical finishing at Indonesia Arena, Jakarta.

Backed by passionate home supporters, the host nation seized control from the opening whistle in the tournament’s first match, which began at 7:00 p.m. local time, under the officiation of Australian referee Andrew Scott Best, as reported by the Indonesian Ministry of Youth and Sports official website.

Indonesia took early control of the game and established a comfortable lead in the first half. Captain Mochammad Iqbal Rahmattulah broke the deadlock, before Rio Pangestu Putra doubled the advantage in the 11th minute. The hosts went into halftime with a 2-0 lead after maintaining pressure throughout the opening period.

The intensity did not drop after the break. Iqbal scored his second goal of the match in the 21st minute to make it 3-0, extending Indonesia’s dominance. Continuous pressure from the home side left South Korea struggling to organize defensively.

Israr Megantara added a fourth goal in the 29th minute, further widening the gap. The scoring was completed by Reza Gunawan in the 37th minute, sealing a comprehensive 5-0 win for Indonesia in their opening Group A fixture.

In addition to their attacking efficiency, Indonesia also displayed strong defensive discipline under head coach Hector Souto. The team committed only two fouls throughout the match. South Korea, by contrast, were forced into six fouls and received two yellow cards, shown to Eom Jiyong in the 27th minute and Kang Jukwang in the 38th.

The convincing result places Indonesia in a strong early position in the group standings and sends a clear signal to their rivals at the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2026. ***