Controversial VAR in Indonesia vs Saudi Arabia match: 3 penalties, 1 sudden red card

The game between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia during the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers turned into a center of controversy due to repeated VAR interventions that led to fierce discussions, featuring 3 penalty awards and one red card.

Even before kickoff, the Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) expressed concerns when the AFC appointed a Kuwaiti referee to officiate the match, despite their request for a change being denied. This led Indonesian fans to scrutinize the VAR officials’ decisions very closely throughout the game.

The first turning point occurred in the 6th minute when Saudi Arabia’s defender Al Tambakti handled the ball inside the penalty area. After consulting VAR, the referee awarded a penalty to Indonesia, and Kevin Diks easily converted it to open the scoring at 1-0. However, the visitors’ joy was short-lived.

Just 6 minutes later, Saudi Arabia capitalized on a defensive error by an Indonesian defender to launch a quick counterattack. Saleh Abu Al Shamat struck a skillful left-footed shot to equalize at 1-1. VAR reviewed the goal, but it was allowed to stand, despite slow-motion footage suggesting a Saudi player may have been offside behind the Indonesian defense in the preceding play.

In the 32nd minute, VAR again became the focus. Indonesia’s Yakob Sayuri pulled Al Buraikan’s shirt inside the box, and after reviewing the video, the referee awarded a penalty to the home team. Al Buraikan took the spot kick himself, putting Saudi Arabia ahead 2-1. In the second half, the striker scored again with a precise finish in the 62nd minute to extend the lead to 3-1, in a situation where Indonesian players claimed Al Shamat had fouled their captain earlier.

Despite trailing by a large margin, Indonesia did not give up. In the 87th minute, Saudi defender Boushal handled the ball inside the box, and the referee once again pointed to the penalty spot. Kevin Diks completed his brace, narrowing the score to 2-3. Near the end, the referee attracted further attention by issuing two consecutive yellow cards to Saudi Arabia’s Mohammed Kanno for time-wasting and excessive dissent. Shortly afterward, an assistant coach of the home team was also dismissed from the technical area.

The match ended with a 3-2 victory for Saudi Arabia, but disputes over refereeing and VAR decisions continued. Many Indonesian fans felt they were unfairly treated in key moments, especially the first two goals conceded. With this loss, coach Patrick Kluivert’s squad nearly lost hope of qualifying directly for the 2026 World Cup and will have to rely on the result against Iraq to keep their playoff hopes alive.

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