Indonesia's coach declares readiness to face Vietnam in the 'final' after a decisive victory

Indonesia's coach views the encounter with U17 Vietnam as a "final" after a convincing victory on the opening day of the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship.

U17 Indonesia makes an impressive start at the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship with a resounding win, thereby building positive momentum ahead of the crucial showdown with U17 Vietnam. After the match, coach Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto emphasized the importance of the upcoming journey, especially as he regards the clash with U17 Vietnam as a "group-stage final."

In the opening match of Group A, U17 Indonesia leveraged home advantage to defeat Timor Leste 4-0, similar to how U17 Vietnam overcame Malaysia. This result quickly highlights the group's dynamics, as the two strongest teams share both goal difference and high form, promising a direct competition for the top spot.

Following the victory, Coach Kurniawan did not hide his satisfaction with his players' performance. “Of course, this is a pleasing result, and I must commend my players for their extraordinary effort; the first match was not easy because they were the home team.” He praised the team's competitive spirit and the clear improvement compared to the pre-tournament phase.

The strategist also candidly addressed the pressure facing the team. “Secondly, the pressure on the players is immense. Our friendly match results were not very good, but the players' progress is highly encouraging,” Coach Kurniawan explained. These statements partly reflect the challenging preparation process of U17 Indonesia before entering the official tournament.

Notably, when discussing the upcoming path, especially the matches against Malaysia and Vietnam, he affirmed: “What I value is the players' competitive spirit, especially since this is their first participation in an international tournament. I hope the players will be more confident in the future. We treat every match as a final. We are grateful for what we achieved tonight, but we will resume training tomorrow.”

According to the tournament format, only four teams advance to the semifinals, so each match carries decisive significance. The match between U17 Indonesia and U17 Vietnam on March 19 is likely to determine the top position in Group A. Given both teams' favorable starts, this encounter is not only a test of skill but also a challenge to the young players' resilience on their journey to conquer the tournament.