Asian Media: 'Garuda Warriors' Make History

TPO - Indonesia officially made history for Southeast Asian football by becoming the first team in the region to pass the third qualifying round of the World Cup.

At the "fire pan" Gelora Bung Karno last night, the Indonesian team made everyone burst into tears when they won a thrilling 1-0 victory over China in the penultimate match of the third qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.

This result, along with Bahrain's 0-2 defeat to Saudi Arabia, helped Indonesia secure a ticket to the final qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.

This victory not only means points, but also marks a historical turning point when for the first time a Southeast Asian team passed the third qualifying round of this prestigious tournament.

In particular, President Prabowo Subianto and President of the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) Erick Thohir attended the match at Gelora Bung Karno and witnessed this important moment. This was the second time that Mr. Prabowo was present at this stadium for a national team match, after the match against Bahrain in March.

Immediately after the final whistle, the President of Indonesia came down to the field, sending his congratulations to the players, coaching staff and the entire team, as a recognition of the resilient fighting spirit and unwavering belief of the "Garuda warriors".

On its homepage, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) commented: “The victory over China has helped Indonesia secure a ticket to the fourth qualifying round of the World Cup, where there will be two more tickets to the tournament. Meanwhile, China has no hope of participating in the World Cup.”

The ASEAN Football website published an article titled " The Spirit of Garuda", emphasizing: "Although Indonesia's victory over China could not help them win a direct ticket to the 2026 World Cup, it has taken them a long step forward on their historic journey."

"With this important victory, Indonesia has advanced to the fourth round, where they will have a real chance to compete for a ticket to the biggest football festival on the planet. The dream continues. Garuda is flying higher than ever," wrote ASEAN Football.

Indonesian media also expressed pride in the team's entry into the 4th qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup. CNN Indonesia praised: "This is a great achievement, affirming the strong return of Indonesian football on the continental arena. The World Cup dream continues to live with Garuda."

"The Indonesian team also broke a 38-year curse when they defeated China for the first time since a 3-1 victory at the 1987 King's Cup. Although the match against Japan in the final round was just a formality, the team was determined to win, aiming to take third place in the group from Saudi Arabia," CNN Indonesia affirmed.

Trong Dat

Source: https://tienphong.vn/truyen-thong-chau-a-nhung-chien-binh-garuda-lam-nen-lich-su-post1748849.tpo