Indonesia will have to win an intercontinental qualifier if they are to reach the men's football tournament of the Olympic Games for the first time since 1956 -- after missing out on automatic progress with a 2-1 loss to Iraq in the third place playoff of the 2024 AFC U-23 Asian Cup.
Things were initially looking positive for the Indonesians -- who had already exceeded all expectations in getting this far in their tournament debut -- as they took the lead in the 19th minute.
After a short corner routine was cleared only as far as the edge of the box, Ivar Jenner let fly with a powerful low drive from 25 yards that opposition goalkeeper Hussein Hassan was unable to keep out at his near post despite getting a hand to it.
But eight minutes later, Iraq responded when Indonesia custodian Ernando Ari failed to adequately deal with a set-piece and sent the ball looping dangerously inside the area, where Nihad Mohammad would climb highest and nod a header towards the line for Zaid Tahseen to glance home from a yard out.
With neither side able to find a winner inside the 90 minutes, the game then went to extra time -- where it was Iraq's talismanic playmaker Ali Jassim who would emerge as the match-winner, capitalising on a crucial error in judgement from Indonesia's stand-in captain Justin Hubner to race through and finish past Ernando into the bottom corner.
The result means Iraq will join Japan and Uzbekistan - who face off in Friday's final - as Asia's confirmed representatives at the Olympics.
Indonesia could still make it four teams from the continent, but will have to beat Guinea next Thursday if they are to book their ticket for Paris later this year.