Can Indonesia mount revenge against Vietnam in the ASEAN U-23 Championship Final?

How was Indonesia's journey to the final of the ASEAN U-23 Championship?

Indonesia advanced to the final of the 2025 ASEAN U-23 Championship after eliminating Thailand through a penalty shootout, 7-6, at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta, on Friday night (25/7/2025). Both teams were tied 1-1 at the end of regular time. The clever substitution strategy employed by Coach Gerald Vanenburg, which allowed Indonesia to push the match into a penalty shootout, deserves appreciation.

Dominating the match with ball possession and creating opportunities did not immediately allow Indonesia to take the lead quickly. On the contrary, the negligence in anticipating the movements of Thai players in the spaces between lines led to disaster. Thailand was able to take the lead first thanks to a goal from Yotsakorn Burapha in the second half.

Forward Jens Raven then saved Indonesia with an equalizing goal, six minutes before the end of normal time. Jens ultimately proved that his sharpness had not diminished after failing to score against the Philippines and Malaysia in the group stage.

Indonesia's efforts to score additional goals in the first half of extra time were unsuccessful, despite repeatedly disrupting Thailand's defense. Poor decision-making, coupled with weak finishing, kept Thailand's goal secure.

What is the key to Indonesia's success in advancing to the final?

At first glance, the Indonesian U-23 team boasts a strong squad, having defeated Thailand 7-6 in a penalty shootout despite two key players missing due to injury. However, upon closer inspection, the Indonesian squad's depth is not so evenly distributed. The "Garuda Muda" are aided by the versatility of their defenders, who can be deployed in any position.

There is no worse news than losing two key players ahead of such an important semifinal match against a tough team like Thailand. The absence of Toni Firmansyah and Arkhan Fikri, who are the backbone of Indonesia's midfield, significantly undermines the team's depth.

Toni's position is very central as a defensive midfielder. His ability to read attacks and serve as a protector for the four defenders has yet to be replaced.

In the final roster of 23 players, Gerald Vanenburg only has four players positioned as midfielders. The injuries to Arkhan and Toni have left the midfielder stock with only Rayhan Hannan (attacking midfielder) and Robi Darwis (defensive midfielder). This means that Vanenburg, who prefers to implement a 4-3-3 formation, is still lacking one player to fill the midfield position.

The final choice fell on Dominikus Dion. The PSS Sleman defender was forced to fill the void left by Toni. He and Robi partnered as a double pivot. Playing as a defensive midfielder was relatively new for Dion, who has traditionally operated as a winger throughout his professional career.

Is Gerald Vanenburg's philosophy suitable for Garuda?

In every interview session, Gerald Vanenburg almost always mentions victory as his target in each match of the ASEAN U-23 Championship. This makes Vanenburg appear pragmatic.

However, the Indonesia U-23 coach is not a figure like Massimiliano Allegri, who considers victory, even by a narrow margin, as the sole objective. Winning is indeed necessary to meet the target of becoming champions of the ASEAN U-23 Championship on home ground.

The target to win does not automatically obscure the intention to present entertaining football and to develop players to become more mature through competition. Vanenburg adheres to this principle. He educates young Indonesian players to be bolder in ball control and to play attractively.

The evidence lies in the statistics of "Garuda Muda" after playing two matches in the group stage. Among the 10 teams competing in the ASEAN U-23 Championship, Indonesia is one of the teams with the highest number of accurate shots, passes, and average ball possession.

In terms of the number of accurate shots, Indonesia leads with 21 attempts. It is two attempts ahead of Malaysia, which ranks second with 19. The majority of the shooting attempts recorded by Indonesia and Malaysia came from matches against Brunei Darussalam, the weakest team in Group A.

What is the significance of the ASEAN U-23 Championship final at Gelora Bung Karno?

The final match of the ASEAN U-23 Championship against Vietnam holds significant importance for the Indonesian football public. Indonesia last celebrated a championship victory on home soil during the SEA Games football final in 1987, 38 years ago. Thus, the final against Vietnam represents an opportunity for the Indonesian U-23 team to end a long wait for a championship celebration at their home ground.

Although it has been a long time since they celebrated a championship at their home ground, it does not mean that the "Garuda Muda" is devoid of achievements. Two years ago, in the final of the 2023 SEA Games, the Indonesia U-22 team, coached by Indra Sjafri, quenched their thirst for success by winning the gold medal after defeating Thailand in the final.

However, that achievement was attained in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Meanwhile, the final of the ASEAN U-23 Championship against Vietnam took place at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (GBK), Jakarta, on Tuesday (29/7/2025).

GBK has become akin to a temple of football in Indonesia, much like Maracana in Brazil. Therefore, a temple without a celebration will always feel somewhat incomplete. The long wait after enduring 38 years without a celebration is what Gerald Vanenburg, who is now the coach of the Indonesia U-23 team, is striving to end.