Besides Mitchell Baker, the Indonesian national team also has a 'lucky charm' in Jens Raven

Naturally, Mitchell Baker is the most talked-about name in the Indonesia vs Vietnam match, following his explosive performance in the opening game. But the host team still has other threats, such as the "lucky charm" Jens Raven.

Jens Raven, Indonesia's "lucky charm"

In the match against Cambodia, Jens Raven made his debut for the national team. He came off the bench and scored perhaps the easiest goal of his career after the opponent gifted him an assist and he finished into an empty net. Before that, Raven was considered the "King of Youth Leagues" with his goals at the U19 and U23 levels for Indonesia.

Unlike Baker, who has just emerged at the national team level, Jens Raven has been considered one of the most promising naturalization projects of Indonesian football in recent years. The Dutch-born striker developed through the academy of FC Dordrecht before moving to Bali United in 2025. What is noteworthy is that at any level of the national team, Raven knows how to make an impact almost immediately.

At the 2024 ASEAN U19 Championship, Raven was a key factor in Indonesia's triumph on home soil. He scored 4 goals to win the Golden Boot, including the only goal in the final against Thailand U19. These are not just impressive statistics but also demonstrate the composure of a striker who knows how to step up in decisive moments.

A year later, Raven continued to astonish Southeast Asia at the regional U23 tournament. In his debut for the Indonesia U23 team against Brunei, the striker scored six goals in an 8-0 victory. Although the opponent was not very strong, scoring a double hat-trick in his first match is still a rare achievement, reflecting Raven's goalscoring instinct and his ability to adapt quickly to a new environment.

Come the 2026 ASEAN Cup, the same scenario repeated itself. In his first appearance for the senior Indonesia national team, Raven scored again against Cambodia, contributing to a 5-1 victory. While Baker drew all the attention with his hat-trick, Raven's goal was somewhat overshadowed. However, looking at the bigger picture, the 20-year-old striker completed a remarkable streak: scoring on his debut for both the U23 and senior national teams, after having been the hero who led Indonesia U19 to the Southeast Asian championship.

That is why coach Kim Sang Sik cannot only devise a plan to deal with Baker. Because the more attention is focused on the 1.96m tall striker, the more opportunity Raven has to become a game-changer. In modern football, a substitute striker who can change the course of a match is always a valuable asset. Indonesia currently possesses exactly that type of player.

Coach John Herdman also has ample reason to keep Raven as a "trump card". If Baker starts, Raven can be brought on in the second half when Vietnam's defense begins to tire. If a change of approach is needed, Indonesia can easily switch to a two-striker formation to exploit Raven's wide movement alongside Baker's aerial strength. Even if Baker is neutralized, Raven is still capable of becoming the main attacking threat without significantly reducing the attacking power of the archipelago team.

This is also a difference from Indonesia's previous ASEAN Cup campaigns. They no longer rely on a single striker but have multiple options up front, each with a different style. It is this diversity that gives Herdman many ways to adjust depending on the flow of the match.

For the Vietnam team, the most important thing is not only to lock down Baker but also to be prepared for all of Indonesia's personnel scenarios. A moment of carelessness against Raven could be costly, as this striker has repeatedly proven that he has a special knack for debut matches and first opportunities.