The Vietnam national team is a 'test' for Indonesia's ambitions.

The current champions, Vietnam, are a "litmus test" for Indonesia's dream of claiming their maiden ASEAN title.

In recent years, matches between Indonesia and Vietnam have become one of the most intense rivalries in Southeast Asian football.

Hosts Indonesia welcome Vietnam in the third match of Group A of the 2026 AFF Cup at Pakansari Stadium (Bogor) on Monday evening (August 3, 2026). The two teams have developed a long-standing rivalry over many years.

According to Indonesian media, one aspect Indonesia must be wary of against Vietnam is their aggressive style of play, featuring intense physical clashes and attempts to disrupt the opponent's concentration.

Indonesia's head coach, John Herdman, answered reporters' questions about how to counter the Vietnamese players.

"I think every match is different. We've said that in this group stage, we will face many different things. We will have various experiences to learn from and build a foundation for the team's development," John Herdman stated during the pre-match press conference.

The first match was at home with high expectations. The second was a difficult away trip, with no spectators in the stadium, an atmosphere like a pre-season friendly, while the opponent had only 10 men from very early on. "All of those are good and important experiences," the English coach continued.

The Vietnam team recently failed to secure all three points when hosting Singapore at home. Despite creating many scoring opportunities, coach Kim Sang Sik's side could not convert them into goals, and even nearly suffered a defeat if Singapore had successfully capitalized on their chances.

That puts Vietnam under pressure ahead of the clash with Indonesia. However, coach John Herdman does not want to dwell on that. He chooses to focus on his team's preparation to aim for the goal of taking all three points.

"We just hope this match will be another good experience for the team. We will become stronger because of it. We must show determination to beat Vietnam," the 51-year-old coach shared.

"We cannot control what they bring or what they will do. That's their business. As for us, we will continue to be in the right position we need to be, to create another performance that everyone can be proud of," John Herdman concluded.

Meanwhile, Indonesia captain Rizky Ridho also agreed with coach John Herdman. He urged the team to minimize unnecessary mistakes and make the most of every opportunity in the match.

"I think I just focus on our team. Don't let us put ourselves at a disadvantage with unnecessary actions."