RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - The Indonesian U17 squad saw their hopes of reaching the 2026 FIFA U17 World Cup dashed after finishing bottom of Group B in the AFC U17 Asian Cup.

A 1-3 defeat to Japan in their final group match at King Abdullah Sports City Training Complex, Jeddah, on Tuesday, May 12, sealed their fate.

The result left Indonesia with three points from three games, insufficient to break into the top two spots required for qualification.

Japan, meanwhile, topped the group with a perfect nine points, securing both a quarterfinal berth and a ticket to the U17 World Cup. China joined them as Group B’s second representative after defeating Qatar 2-0 in their last outing.

Japan asserted dominance from the opening whistle, pressing Indonesia’s defense and creating early chances, Antara reported.

Forward Eito Tataki came close but fired over the bar before Ryoma Tsuyoneshi broke the deadlock in the 28th minute with a close-range finish. Indonesia’s goalkeeper Mike Rajasa kept his side in contention with key saves, but Japan carried a 1-0 lead into halftime.

The second half saw Japan extend their advantage through captain Takeshi Wada’s strike in the 58th minute.

Indonesia responded with a glimmer of hope when Peres Tjoe curled in a free kick to make it 1-2 at the 70-minute mark. Yet, just two minutes later, substitute Arata Okamoto restored Japan’s two-goal cushion, sealing the 3-1 scoreline.

Despite Indonesia’s late efforts to reduce the deficit, Japan maintained control until the final whistle. The loss underscored the gap between Indonesia and Asia’s elite, while Japan and China advanced to continue their campaigns on the continental stage. ***