Indonesia - Vietnam: The resilience of the defending champions will speak.

After three matches in Group A of the 2026 ASEAN Cup, Singapore (7 points) continues to top the group. Indonesia (6 points) and Vietnam (4 points) are placed in the next two positions respectively.

In theory, Vietnam is at a greater disadvantage compared to Indonesia heading into this match, with only 4 points after 2 games, while Indonesia has 6 points. The match in the fourth round of Group A is decisive. It is crucial to the race for the top two positions and directly affects both teams' chances of advancing.

This away trip for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will indeed be very difficult. Indonesia is a strong team with many naturalized players of European origin. Moreover, the match takes place in Indonesia, so the archipelago team has the advantage of familiarity with the pitch, weather, and crowd. On the other hand, the Vietnamese players enter the match against Indonesia with a certain frustration, after the team experienced a disappointing goalless draw against Singapore right at My Dinh.

Vietnam must defeat their opponent to secure their own fate for the ticket to advance. If they fail to get all three points, the scenario of Vietnam being eliminated early in the group stage is entirely possible. If Vietnam loses, Indonesia will open a 5-point gap and almost certainly secure a spot in the semifinals.

However, with the spirit of the defending champions, Vietnamese fans can fully place their trust in coach Kim Sang-sik and his players. Vietnam has previously defeated Indonesia away in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. If they can overcome the challenge at Pakansari, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will open the door to rejoin the race on their journey to defend the Southeast Asian crown.

Experience is a great strength for the Vietnamese players, and fans believe they will know how to overcome the current difficult period. The aspects that were not performed well in the match against Singapore a few days ago will be improved by the players in this encounter with Indonesia.

The lessons from the match against Singapore remain valid. Besides dropping two important points, Vietnam also saw its nearly two-year-long scoring streak come to an end. Before that match, the last time Vietnamese players failed to score against an opponent was in the 0-3 loss to Russia on September 5, 2024.

Fans' concerns come not only from the standings in Group A but also from the team's stagnant performance on the field, as well as the ineffective personnel adjustment decisions by "captain" Kim Sang-sik in the match against Singapore. In that draw, Vietnam had a lot of possession and created numerous chances but could not score. Two shots hit the crossbar, and many inaccurate finishes rendered all advantages meaningless.

With additions up front such as Dinh Bac, Hoang Hen or Tai Loc, as well as the trust in attacking-minded players like Quang Hai and Hoang Duc playing in midfield, coach Kim Sang-sik appears very confident in Vietnam's ability to impose their game plan in this ASEAN Cup. However, fielding too many attacking players has made the formation of the Golden Star Warriors unbalanced and more "fragile" in midfield. Against lower-tier teams like Timor Leste, that attack could decide the match through individual skill. But when facing an evenly matched opponent with a tight style like Singapore, that imbalance was exposed.

Against Indonesia, chances will certainly be few, so the ability to capitalize will determine the outcome. The important thing for Vietnam is to enter the match with the confidence of the defending champions, while staying lucid enough to choose the right moment to strike.

The match between Indonesia and Vietnam will take place at 20:30 on August 3 at Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, Indonesia. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will prove to the archipelago team the true mettle of the defending champions of Southeast Asia.

Expected starting lineups of the two teams
Indonesia: Nadeo, Sandy Walsh, Rizky Ridho, Dony Tri Pamungkas, Shayne Pattynama, Thom Haye, Eliano Reijnders, Ivar Jenner, Marc Klok, Beckham Putra, Baker
Vietnam: Lê Giang, Thành Chung, Xuân Mạnh, Đoàn Văn Hậu, Văn Vĩ, Tiến Anh, Quang Hải, Hoàng Đức, Tài Lộc, Nguyễn Xuân Son, Đỗ Hoàng Hên