RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia’s men’s field hockey team is shifting focus to securing a podium finish after falling short of the final at the 2026 Asian Games Qualifiers in Bangkok. The team remains determined to claim third place, aiming to match their result from the 2022 qualifiers, according to Captain Aulia Akbar Ardh.

“We will fight with everything we have to secure third place and repeat our result from the 2022 Asian Games Qualifiers,” Akbar said in an official statement on Thursday, April 9, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

Indonesia were defeated 2-3 by Sri Lanka in the semifinal at the Royal Thai Air Force Hockey Field. Despite creating multiple chances and controlling play in the third and fourth quarters, they were unable to overturn the deficit.

Indonesia’s goals came from Abdullah Al Akbar and Aulia Akbar Ardh, while Sri Lanka scored through Udayashan Fernando, Suresh Rathnayeke, and Rajitha Kualathuna. Akbar acknowledged that finishing remains a key area for improvement. “Going forward, we must improve so we can perform better,” he said.

Head coach Muhammad Dharma Raj also noted that the team underperformed and made individual errors that led to Sri Lanka’s goals. “All three goals from Sri Lanka came from individual mistakes,” he said.

Indonesia will now face Uzbekistan in the third-place playoff on Friday, April 10, after Uzbekistan lost to Oman in a penalty shootout. ***