Indonesia is on high alert for Vietnam's naturalized 'trio'

The match between Indonesia and Vietnam in Group A of the 2026 AFF Cup will take place at Pakansari Stadium (Bogor Regency) at 8:30 PM on August 3.

Currently, Indonesia sits second in the provisional Group A standings with 6 points. They are one point behind leaders Singapore and two points ahead of third-placed Vietnam.

Indonesian football expert Luciano Leandro believes Vietnam possesses many dangerous attacking threats, especially the trio of Brazilian-born naturalized players: Xuan Son (Rafaelson), Hendrio, and Geovane Magno.

"Vietnam has several players that Indonesia must be extremely wary of, particularly the Brazilian-born naturalized players who bring a different attacking dimension," Luciano told Bola.com.

So far, Xuan Son has scored one goal, while Hendrio has been more productive with two goals. In addition, Geovane Magno's movements are also a significant concern.

Furthermore, Luciano also warned about the threat posed by Vietnam's wingers. Their speed and ability to handle one-on-one situations could become a serious danger to the Indonesian defense.

"They have good physical foundation, ball retention, and very dangerous finishing. Additionally, Vietnam's wingers are very fast and often create one-on-one situations," Luciano assessed.

Indonesia also needs to pay special attention to Nguyen Dinh Bac. The 21-year-old winger has scored three goals and is currently Vietnam's top scorer in the 2026 AFF Cup.

The combination of naturalized players and Nguyen Dinh Bac's scoring form has turned the "Golden Star Warriors" attack into one of the most dangerous in Group A.

The PSM Makassar legend believes that neutralizing Vietnam's attacking power will depend heavily on the discipline of the Indonesian defense throughout the match.

"The Indonesian defense must play with absolute discipline. The distance between the lines needs to be maintained properly, the center-backs must communicate well and not leave their positions too easily.

Vietnam is very dangerous when there is space behind the opponent's defense, so concentration throughout the match will be key.

If Indonesia can maintain focus for the full 90 minutes, play with discipline, and keep the intensity from start to finish, I believe their chances of winning are very open," Luciano concluded.