I

ndonesia was humbled following a 2-1 loss to Palestine in its second Asian Games Group A soccer match at Patriot Candrabaga Stadium in Bekasi, West Java, on Wednesday.

The result leaves the host nation with no choice but to win its two remaining matches to ensure a spot in the knockout stage, regardless of the outcomes of the other matches in the group.

Indonesia will face Laos on Friday, while Palestine will face Hong Kong. Failing to earn consecutive wins would eliminate Indonesia from the tournament.

Indonesia coach Luis Milla said he fielded players with agility and speed on the flank to push the tempo.

“Palestine played better in the beginning, but we turned the tide after the first goal. We nearly equalized but failed to make it count,” he said, adding that the tight schedule had forced him to rotate players.

“It’s a sad result, but it is not the end. We still have two more games and if we win we will qualify. There’s still a chance,” goalkeeper Andritany Ardhiyasa said.

Resting some of its key players, including striker Alberto “Beto” Goncalves, whose goal helped Indonesia crush Chinese Taipei 4-0 in the group opener, the Garudas entered the game with confidence in front of 28,000 loud home supporters. Flags of the two countries were erected side by side in a show of support for Palestine.

On the field, it was Palestine that controlled the game in the early minutes, creating some clear scoring chances. The visiting side was awarded a penalty in the 14th minute following a handball from Zulfiandi.

Palestine’s Darwish Mohammed failed to convert from the spot as his low-drilled shot hit the post, but teammate Oday Dabbagh was quick to take advantage of the rebound to open the scoring.

The Indonesian fans initially booed the goal but then gave a round of applause to the Palestine players after they celebrated the goal by prostrating.

Looking to equalize, Indonesia stepped up its aggression, and it was winger Irfan Jaya who leveled the score in the 22nd minute after avoiding an offside trap. He perfectly placed the ball in the bottom corner of the net, leaving goalkeeper Rami Hamada no chance.

Palestine’s Yousef Mahmud nearly scored in the 33rd minute. Taking advantage of Indonesia’s shaky defense, the striker was left unmarked in front of Andritany. However, a crucial block from a defender prevented Yousef from netting a screamer.

Indonesia made its first change in the 38th minute. Septian David was replaced by Ilham Udin to add some drive to the attack.

Palestine regained the lead in the 50th minute through Darwis, whose left-footed strike from a narrow angle inside the box hit the back of the net.

Indonesia struggled to enter the final third for the remainder of the match, as Palestine focused on strengthening its defense to maintain its lead.

Indonesia sits in third place in the group with three points, behind Palestine and Hong Kong, which have seven and six points respectively.

Palestine coach Ayman Sandouqa, who took the opportunity to praise the Indonesian fans before giving his analysis on the game, said he was grateful for the win.

“I think we did very well and gave our best. We were very compact and focused on organizing the defense and attack, which resulted in our second goal,” he told the press, adding that there were only six soccer fields for training in his country.

Earlier in the day, Hong Kong defeated 10-man Chinese Taipei 4-0, with Tan Cun Look and Jorge Tarres Paramo each scoring in the first half.

With the result, Chinese Taipei is the first team to be officially eliminated from the tournament, even with one more match to spare. It has bagged one point from three matches.

In other group matches, Malaysia beat Kyrgyzstan 3-1 in Group E, while South Korea crushed Bahrain 6-0. Iran and Saudi Arabia ended their match in a scoreless draw in Group F, while North Korea and Myanmar drew 1-1.