Indonesian media erupts after defeating Vietnam to reach semifinals

U19 Indonesia beat U19 Vietnam 2-1 in the last Group A match of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship, earning a semifinal berth as group leaders. After the game, Indonesian media widely celebrated the triumph of Garuda Muda.

On the evening of June 7, U19 Indonesia defeated U19 Vietnam with a score of 2-1 in the final Group A match of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship. This result allowed the host team to qualify for the semifinals with a perfect winning record, while U19 Vietnam had to wait for a chance to advance as one of the best second-placed teams.

Playing at home, U19 Indonesia started with great determination and continuously pressured U19 Vietnam's half. Their efforts were rewarded early when Nazriel Alvaro opened the scoring in the first half.

In the second half, U19 Vietnam pushed forward in search of an equalizer and found it through a goal from Quoc Khanh. However, the drama intensified in the final minutes when Indonesia was awarded a penalty and successfully converted it to secure a 2-1 victory.

Immediately after the match, Indonesian media celebrated their team's achievement. A football website named Sepakbola Indonesia wrote:

"INTO THE SEMIFINALS!!! Indonesia defeated Vietnam in a thrilling match thanks to a late penalty. This result sends Garuda Muda to the semifinals as group winners. Meanwhile, Vietnam faces the consequences of their own drama."

Meanwhile, Indonesia's leading sports newspaper Bola.com commented: "U19 Indonesia has secured a spot in the semifinals of the 2026 ASEAN U19 Championship. Garuda Muda finished the group stage as winners of Group A with a perfect record of 9 points from three matches.

On the other hand, U19 Vietnam finished second with 6 points. The young Golden Stars still have a chance to reach the semifinals as the best second-placed team, but will have to wait for results from Groups B and C."

Despite losing a crucial match, U19 Vietnam still received plenty of praise from regional fans. On Southeast Asian football forums, many Thai and Malaysian supporters commended the team coached by Yutaka Ikeuchi for their resilient, disciplined performance and refusal to give up until the final moments.

Many opinions suggested that U19 Vietnam still possesses a generation of highly promising players and can certainly become contenders for future titles if they continue to maintain the fighting spirit and identity shown in this year's tournament.