Jakarta, Indonesia: A formidable first half performance laid the foundations for

Qatar’s incredible 6-5 win over a resilient Indonesia at the AFC U-19 Championship

Indonesia 2018 on Sunday, a result which keeps the Bruno Miguel side well and

truly in contention for a place in the competition’s quarter-finals.

Four goals within the opening 45 minutes set the tone on a night when Indonesia

rallied magnificently late on but were left to rue a fragile defensive display which

ultimately proved their undoing.

The result saw Qatar go second in Group A behind the United Arab Emirates – who

they lost to on Matchday One – and left them knowing that a win against Chinese

Taipei on Wednesday would give them every chance of progressing.

Indonesia began brightly in a cauldron of noise at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, but

it was to be the visitors who went ahead as a defensive lapse saw Hashim Ali prod the

ball home from close range on 11 minutes.

Clearly buoyed by their early breakthrough, Qatar continued to press and their persistence

paid off once again just three minutes later as Abdulrasheed Umaru made the most of yet

more hesitancy in the Indonesian backline to double both his side’s advantage on the night

and his tournament tally.

With Indonesia rocked by the double setback, two became three for Qatar on 24 minutes,

this time Mohammed Waad Abdulwahhab finding the top corner with a fierce drive that

took a slight deflection of opposing captain Nurhidayat Haji Haris.

To their credit, Indonesia refused to buckle and they duly reduced the deficit just before the

half hour mark when Muhammad Luthfi Kamal Baharsyah’s free-kick deceived Qatari

goalkeeper Salah Zakaria before looping into the net.

Zakaria then saved well from Egy Maulana Vikri before, and as a frenetic first period drew

to a close, Umaru made amends for a horror miss moments earlier by turning neatly in the

penalty area and ramming the ball into the roof of the net from 12 yards.

Qatar remained on the front foot after the break and they grabbed a fifth on 51 minutes

when Hashim Ali pounced to score after Umaru’s initial shot had been repelled by Indonesian

custodian Muhamad Riyandi.

Within the hour, Qatar made it six, the impressive Umaru notching a well-deserved hat-trick

after he sprinted into the area and finished with aplomb past the sprawling Riyandi.

To the delight of their fans, Indonesia struck again with 25 minutes remaining as substitute

Todd Rivaldo Ferre found the target with another sublime set-piece from the left flank.

Remarkably, the hosts scored again four minutes later through a Saddil Ramdani free-kick to,

albeit briefly, conjure up images of Indra Sjafri’s young charges staging the comeback of all

comebacks – something that appeared all the more possible when Rivaldo Ferre dramatically

scored his side’s fourth.

With Qatar head coach Bruno Pinheiro sent to the stands, the iconic Gelora Bung Karno was

then shook to its rafters when Rivaldo Ferre incredibly grabbed his third to take a resurgent

Indonesia to within one goal of Qatar with nine minutes remaining.

It was not to be though, as, on a night of chaotic drama, Qatar dug deep to hold firm and record

a win which leaves both sides’ quarter-final hopes finely balanced ahead of the final round of

matches.