RRI. CO. ID, Jakarta - A series of missed opportunities proved costly for Indonesia as they suffered a 1-0 defeat to Bulgaria in the FIFA Series 2026 Indonesia Group final at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Monday night, March 30, 2026.

The hosts created several promising moments but were unable to find the finishing touch, with two efforts striking the crossbar and multiple chances falling just short against a disciplined Bulgarian defense.

Bulgaria’s decisive moment came in the 38th minute when Marin Petkov converted a penalty following a VAR review that ruled Kevin Diks had fouled Zdravko Dimitrov in the box. The goal ultimately separated the two sides in an otherwise balanced content, Antara reported.

Indonesia, despite facing a higher-ranked European team, played with confidence and intensity. Under coach John Herdman, they matched Bulgaria’s tempo and used the flanks effectively but struggled to penetrate a compact low-block setup.

The second half saw Indonesia push harder, making key substitutions to boost attacking options. Ole Romeny came closest with a chipped effort that hit the crossbar, while Rizky Ridho also rattled the woodwork in the closing stages.

Although Bulgaria threatened on the counter and nearly doubled their lead, Indonesia remained competitive throughout, with goalkeeper Emil Audero and defender Justin Hubner making crucial interventions.

In the end, Bulgaria’s efficiency and defensive discipline prevailed, while Indonesia was left to rue missed chances in front of goal.

Line-ups:

Indonesia: Emil Audero, Kevin Diks, Jay Idzes, Rizky Ridho, Justin Hubner, Calvin Verdonk, Nathan Tjoe-A-On, Joey Pelupessy, Ragnar Oratmangoen, Ole Romeny, Ramadhan Sananta

Head Coach: John Herdman

Bulgaria: Dimitar Mitov, Teodor Ivanov, Andrian Kraev, Zdravko Dimitrov, Filip Krastev, Petko Hristov, Marin Petkov, Martin Minchev, Martin Georgiev, Dimitar Velkovski, Christian Stoyanov

Head Coach: Aleksandar Dimitrov. ***