Indonesia coach: 'We gave away easy goals to the opponent'

Indonesia head coach John Herdman acknowledged that his squad committed numerous errors in the 0-3 defeat to Vietnam in the ASEAN Cup 2026 at Pakansari Stadium (Bogor) on the night of August 3. The Canadian strategist stated that the home side lost the initiative early on after conceding goals that were too simple for Vietnam.

This loss came as a major shock to Indonesia in the group stage race. Besides failing to score a goal, Indonesia managed only two shots on target throughout the entire match.

Following the defeat, Indonesia dropped to third place in Group A of the ASEAN Cup 2026. The chance to reach the semifinals still exists, but the road ahead has become much more difficult.

In the post-match press conference, Herdman said he did not want to draw conclusions while emotions were still running high, but admitted the team needed to quickly address many issues before facing Singapore.

"It's still too early, and the emotions after the match are still very strong. We need to review the game with a cool head," Herdman said.

The Canadian manager believed the turning point came within the first 10-15 minutes of the match. According to him, Indonesia could not keep up with Vietnam's direct and physical style of play, and also handed the opponent goals that were too easy.

That allowed Vietnam to execute their preferred game plan: dropping deep to defend and punishing Indonesia with counterattacks.

"We should have been better prepared for Vietnam's direct play and physical battles in the first 10 to 15 minutes. I think we gave them easy goals. When you do that against a team like Vietnam, the match becomes very difficult because they can counterattack, and they did exactly that."

Herdman emphasized that Indonesia needs to maintain a tighter team shape in both attack and defense.

"We have to keep our formation structure when attacking and defending. Our game management needs to be better, and that is first and foremost the coach's responsibility, not the players'. We must ensure that the first 15 minutes become a difficult period for a strong team like Vietnam."

Despite the heavy loss, Herdman affirmed that Indonesia will not change their playing identity. He still wants the team to take the initiative in attack, press high, and build from the back.

However, he also acknowledged that this style of play requires better balance, especially in transitions.

"This team wants to attack. We want to push many players forward. We don't want to become a team that just sits back and waits for counterattacks. That style requires courage but also comes with risks.

We have to learn to organize better and transition to defense more tightly. That's the key—better game management and more effective defensive transitions. We will bring that into the match against Singapore."

Herdman also reiterated that the Indonesia team is still in a rebuilding phase. According to him, the current group of players has only played together in four matches and has not yet reached the level the coaching staff desires. Therefore, he called on the whole team to take this defeat as a lesson and keep moving forward.

"Our team is brave. We want to play football, press, and build from the back. That is very important for our development. This is only the fourth match for this group of players together, and only the second or third official match.

We will continue to develop. We have to accept this shock. We cannot avoid it. We must admit our mistakes, learn from them, and stay united, because there is still a very important match ahead."