And here’s Joey’s report from the stadium in Sydney:

That was a hugely entertaining and pleasingly chaotic game which puts Australia in a strong position in the group, particularly with a handy goal difference to go with their 10 points.

Thanks a lot for following along. Joey Lynch’s report will be with us shortly …

Jackson Irvine is player of the match and giving his thoughts to 10 on how it all played out.

The result was very important. The fact we did it with five goals, really pleased and obviously for myself scoring a couple, family and friends in the crowd, doesn’t get much better.

We want to be a team that controls possession far better than today. We probably weren’t good enough in possession for 90 minutes, to be honest, but they came with more intensity than I probably faced in a home game in a while, man against man, just full on. It felt like full pelt pressing for 90 minutes all over.

It’s hard to play possession style football when you’re constantly under pressure. What we had to do was, when we broke the pressure, be clinical. There’s aspects of the game that are pleasing, a lot we could have done better. Obviously wanted to keep a clean sheet as well but overall in a situation like we were in, to win 5-1 at home, can’t complain.

95 mins: Fran Karacic almost adds to the goal rush. The Indonesia defenders perhaps expected the Socceroos defender to pass the ball off but he instead lets fly with a strike that isn’t too far away.

93 mins: There will be seven minutes of added time and we can comfortably expect Indonesia to keep pressing forward in some way or another.

This has been one of the more curious 5-1 games you’re ever likely to see, even allowing for the relatively uncommon scoreline. Nick Taylor drops us a line that suggests he’s not entirely convinced by the Socceroos.

“Lucky in lots of ways tonight. Sloppy on the ball and panicked under pressure. Passes lack accuracy. Don’t seem like a team who will trouble any top tier nations. Scoring was good but pretty woeful defending by Holland D”.

88 mins: Milos Degenek gets his first cap since September 2023 after a long stint on the sidelines. Kye Rowles comes to the bench.

84 mins: Indonesia slice open the Socceroos defence as Maty Ryan saves the day. Romenij does the damage again, this time surging down the left and darting in a cross. Eliano Reijnders shapes to guide a powerful shot toward goal where only sharp reflexes from the keeper prevent a second Indonesia goal.

81 mins: Thom Jan Haye comes down heavily after leaping for a header just inside the attacking half. Indonesia choose to switch the play rather than crossing the ball in which relieves the pressure on the Socceroos defence.

78 mins: Indonesia are not done yet with attacker Ramadhan Sananta and midfielder Ivar Jenner coming into the game. Marselino Ferdinan and defender Nathan Tjoe A On make way.

74 mins: There has been close to a 50-50 split in support this evening at Sydney Football Stadium with 35,241 in attendance.

72 mins: Lewis Miller and Nishan Velupillay have made the most of their opportunities but now make way for Fran Karacic and Daniel Arzani. Let’s see what the not-so-young-anymore Australian can do in attack.

70 mins: Indonesia have done well to create a handful of chances but they look set to be harder to come by as Australia drop into a 5-4-1 without the ball.

68 mins: The game has slowed down a touch as more substitutions for Indonesia look to pick up the pace. Australia are still content to let the visitors hold onto the ball.

66 mins: Sandy Walsh has only lasted a matter of minutes before being carried from the pitch on a stretcher. He doesn’t look to good. Rizky Ridho gets his chance.

64 mins: Another delay as Sandy Walsh crumbles under three Australian defenders. The Indonesia midfielder awaits some attention while the Mexican wave sets off around Sydney Football Stadium.

62 mins: Miller now has a goal to go with earning the penalty that opened the scoring, while Nishan Velupillay has also scored once and played a key role in another. Socceroos coach Tony Popovic will be quietly pleased with his selections.

58 mins: It’s not only the Socceroos defence that is due a breather. Indonesia midfielder Mees Hilgers takes a seat in the middle of the pitch looking in some discomfort. The stretcher comes out but he waves that away before walking off to be replaced by Sandy Walsh.

56 mins: The Socceroos have barely made their way out of the defensive half since the break. A long ball from Rowles gives them some respite.

53 mins: Romenij isn’t done yet as he bursts wide and swings a left boot to send a shot toward the far post. Australia captain Ryan quickly gets down low and holds onto the ball with his left mit. That should be a wake up call for the Socceroos, on the off chance they needed one.

52 mins: Another great save from Ryan! And another strong period for Indonesia comes to nothing. Miller almost heads the ball back into the net as Ryan comes off his line trying to clear a cross, but the keeper can’t get enough on the ball before it trickles wide of the post for a corner.

51 mins: Calvin Verdonk ends the long wait to take the free kick and its nothing but an anti-climax has he slams the shot into the wall. Corner for Indonesia.

49 mins: An innocuous bomb forward earns a free kick for Indonesia just outside the box. Cam Burgess was leaning over Ole Romenij but the Indonesian attacker seemed to instigate all the contact.

47 mins: Australia have swung a couple of changes to their attack with Craig Goodwin and Brandon Borrello entering the fray as Martin Boyle and Adam Taggart make way.

46 mins: The second half gets under way and just as they did about an hour ago Indonesia are immediately on the attack.

Australia have built their 3-0 lead off the back of their only three shots on goal, while Indonesia have had a couple of shots with one on target. Indonesia have perhaps played into the Socceroos’ hands by having 59% possession and giving the hosts space to run into.

48 mins: A bit more grappling creeps into the contest with the players slowing down as we edge towards half-time. We’re yet to see a caution though.

46 mins: Six minutes of added time seems generous with few breaks other than to get second opinions for a pair of penalty calls. No complaints here though!

44 mins: Indonesia continue to work away on the left with hints of success. The visitors pick up another corner but Mees Hilgers’ header floats high for a goal kick.

42 mins: The third Australia goal has taken a bit of sting out of the game as the break approaches. That’s at least until Romenij almost creates something out of nothing as he gets off a shot that Geria only just gets a foot on.

40 mins: This contest has turned Australia’s way as a robust challenge from Irvine outside their defensive penalty box is waved away as the home side clear.

38 mins: Indonesia keep pushing forward but the risk of leaving the back door open remains as Taggart almost finds a way through at the halfway line.

36 mins: Australia have been happy to play without the ball but have pulled away to a commanding lead. The second goalscorer, Nishan Velupillay, has another shot but a deflection takes it wide for a corner.

32 mins: The Socceroos are looking more comfortable at the back now after being overwhelmed in the opening 10 minutes.

30 mins: Ole Romenij wins a race to the ball down the left but his cross towards Indonesia and Brisbane Roar attacker Rafael Struick making his way into the box is cut off by Kye Rowles.

28 mins: Indonesia are happy to knock the ball around the back but keeper Paes puts hearts in mouths as a pause on the ball almost allows Taggart to close him down.

26 mins: A moment of serenity as Indonesia finally accept it’s in their interests to slow the game down a bit.

24 mins: A defensive error from Kevin Diks almost gifts Aziz Behich with a shot on goal. The Indonesia defender looks to head back to his keeper from outside the penalty box but the ball falls well short. Behich might have tried his luck on the volley before Diks tidies up his mess with a better header to Paes.

22 mins: Indonesia are showing few signs of having just given up two goals as they continue to attack. The ball bounces from one end to the other and back again. This has been a chaotically brilliant opening.

15 mins: While the Socceross prepare to take a corner following Boyle’s strike, the game has paused and the referee is called to review the tussle between Miller and Nathan Tjoe A On. Penalty to Australia!

14 mins: A first corner for the Socceroos who are finally settling into the contest. Martin Boyle crosses the ball in before Lewis Miller is wrapped up and taken to ground. Indonesia clear with a header but Boyle soon has possession again and his deflected shot sails just wide of the far post.

12 mins: The Socceroos spend some time in their attacking half without threatening the penalty box. Indonesia play out comfortably and all but bypass the midfield with an exquisite crossfield pass.

10 mins: It has been a scintillating start from Indonesia but Diks’ missed penalty means the visitors have failed to take a deserved lead. Australia need to get a foothold in the game before it gets away from them.

5 mins: Fantastic save from Maty Ryan! And a warning shot for the Socceroos. Nishan Velupillay gives away a needless free kick in Indonesia’s attacking half, Calvin Verdonk whips in the cross and their captain Jay Noah Idzes almost glances a header into the net.

3 mins: The Socceroos have their first look up front as Ole Lennard Romenij, otherwise of Oxford United, wins the ball in a tough challenge and tries to release Indonesia down the left. The pace of Jason Geria covers any danger.

1 min: Indonesia kick off and quickly find on the right in space Ole Lennard Romenij.

The players are in place and here we go … peeeeep!

Now it’s the local side’s turn for a singalong as Advance Australia Fair is belted out both on the pitch and in the stands. Can already feel energy coming from the stands with a decent turn out of punters.

The visitors’ national anthem, Indonesia Raya (which roughly translates as Indonesia the Great) takes over Sydney Football Stadium as one end is packed with a sea of red and more shirts of the same hue are dotted around the ground.

Andy de la Rue has kindly reminded me that a weather forecast is called for. In the tried and true method of popping a head out the window at Sydney Football Stadium, and peeping through the haze of fireworks smoke, I can confirm the sky is clear as the temperature hovers around the mid 20s.

Perfect conditions for football, really.

The Socceroos and Indonesia are moments away from making their way onto the pitch at Sydney Football Stadium with kick-off scheduled for 8.10pm. Just enough time to catch up on the qualification state of play across all the regions for the 48 spots at the 2026 World Cup.

Indonesia’s major naturalisation program has lifted their quality and options across the pitch and is at least partly behind only five starters from their previous clash with Australia returning to the XI for coach Patrick Kluivert’s first match in charge. Marselino Ferdinan will be the only Indonesian-born player in the starting XI, while the Socceroos have their own import in Martin Boyle.

John Duerden says that a more competitive and expansive Indonesia could be a boost for Australia on as much as off the pitch.

For tournament regulars Australia, a home defeat to Indonesia would be painful but, at least, signal that the two neighbours can push each other to greater heights. Instead of looking to a country on the opposite end of a mighty ocean, there would be one just the other side of the Timor Sea.

Coach Tony Popovic won’t be letting any complacency creep into his Socceroos side against Indonesia especially with the race for a place at the 2026 World Cup so tight and tense and the neighbouring nation evidently on the rise.

The expectation of the Australian public, is that they should expect their national team to produce and to play good football. Then I expect every Australian to get behind the team tomorrow, which is what we want and we know that that’ll help us tomorrow night.