The Vietnam national team will neutralize Indonesia's 'dangerous threats'

The Indonesian team's convincing wins have made a strong start at the ASEAN Cup 2026, while also sending a clear warning to Vietnam before their clash on August 3 at Pakansari (Bogor).

The first and most obvious threat is the strikerMitchell Baker. The 1.96m tall striker had a perfect debut, scoring a hat-trick against Cambodia.

Despite being only 20, Baker has shown maturity in positioning, one-touch finishing, and especially his formidable aerial ability.

Coach Kim Sang-sik will likely deploy players with the best physique and tackling ability, such as Thành Chung, Việt Anh, Văn Hậu, or Xuân Mạnh, to take turns marking this striker.

Not only must they win aerial duels, but Vietnam's central defenders also need to minimize the space for Baker to cut in at the near or far post.

But Baker is just the finisher. Indonesia's real brain is still Thom Haye. In the victory over Cambodia,Hayecontributed to four of the five goals with key passes, highly accurate free kicks, and the ability to control the tempo of the match.

Partnering with Haye is Ivar Jenner, a 22-year-old midfielder with boundless energy. Jenner handles most of the tackling, ball recovery, and defensive support, allowing Haye the freedom to orchestrate attacks. One creative, one dynamic—they form a very balanced midfield for Indonesia.

That will be the toughest tactical puzzle forCoach Kim Sang-sik. If they only use Hoàng Đức and Quang Hải, the Vietnamese team might lack a strong enough midfielder to press Haye.

Therefore, starting Thành Long from the beginning is definitely worth considering. Thành Long can act as a "sweeper," sticking close to Haye and limiting his time on the ball, so that Hoàng Đức and Quang Hải can focus more on launching attacks.

Both teams use a 3-4-3 formation, so the battle in midfield will greatly determine the match's outcome. If Haye is allowed to play at his rhythm, Indonesia will control the game. Conversely, if Vietnam can shut him down, the hosts' creativity will be significantly reduced.

Not only strong through the middle, Indonesia also boasts a very dangerous right flank. Sandy Walsh frequently pushes forward like a true full-back, even though he starts as a right-sided center-back. He scored against Cambodia with a header from a corner taken by Thom Haye. Walsh's attacking involvement gives Indonesia a numerical advantage on this flank.

Ahead of Walsh is Eliano Reijnders, a Dutch-born player known for his speed, dribbling, and quick passes. The younger brother of Dutch international Tijjani Reijnders may not have an imposing physique, but he makes up for it with modern decision-making, often cutting inside or switching positions to stretch the opponent's defense.

When they need to boost creativity,Coach Herdmanalso has Beckham Putra, a technically skilled and agile attacking midfielder on the right flank. The trio of Walsh, Reijnders, and Beckham forms a formidable weapon, forcing Vietnam to significantly reinforce this area.

If Văn Hậu is deployed as a left-sided center-back, he will likely need support from Phan Tuấn Tài or a deep-lying midfielder to avoid being outnumbered two-on-one. At the same time, Việt Anh or Thành Chung must also be ready to cover when Walsh makes sudden runs forward.

On the other side, Indonesia's left flank is not as prominent. Pamungkas and Pattynama did their job against Cambodia but didn't create many breakthroughs. This could be an area for Vietnam to exploit with the speed of Đình Bắc, Hoàng Hên, and Tiến Anh.

To extend that run of results, Vietnam must first neutralize Indonesia's most dangerous 'hotspots'. If they can handle these key threats, the door to a positive result at Pakansari, Bogor will be more open for Coach Kim Sang-sik and his players.