Indonesia's national team lost narrowly 0-1 to Bulgaria in the FIFA Series 2026 final at Stadion Utama Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, on Monday (30/3/2026). Marin Petkov's penalty in the 38th minute sealed Bulgaria's win after Kevin Diks fouled Zdravko Dimitrov, confirmed by VAR. Despite dominating and hitting the post twice, Indonesia failed to equalize.
Indonesia's national team dominated throughout the FIFA Series 2026 Indonesia Group final against Bulgaria at Stadion Utama Gelora Bung Karno. They created several chances, including two hits on the post from Ole Romeny in the 72nd minute and Rizky Ridho late in the game. However, Bulgaria's disciplined defense made it hard for the Garuda to convert opportunities into goals.
Bulgaria's goal came from Marin Petkov's penalty in the 38th minute. Referee Nazmi Nasaruddin awarded it after a VAR review of Kevin Diks fouling Zdravko Dimitrov in Indonesia's penalty area. The 0-1 score held despite coach John Herdman's substitutions including Ivar Jenner, Elkan Baggott, Eliano Reijnders, Dony Tri Pamungkas, and Beckham Putra.
Coach John Herdman praised Calvin Verdonk for playing further forward as defensive midfielder and No. 10. "His performance tonight was outstanding. He is a complete player," Herdman said. He also highlighted the potential of Dony Tri Pamungkas and Beckham Putra as key players for the 2026 ASEAN Cup.
PSSI General Chairman Erick Thohir appreciated the team's performance despite the loss. "The game tonight was quite classy. We faced a serious team that reached the 1994 World Cup semi-finals," he said. Herdman believed Indonesia should have won due to their superiority in chances.
