Vietnam Futsal 1-0 Indonesia: Minh Quang opens the scoring from a free kick.

Having just suffered a shocking defeat to Malaysia, the Vietnamese futsal team entered their SEA Games 33 match against Indonesia under immense pressure. And in the 11th minute, Minh Quang helped his teammates relieve some of the pressure by successfully scoring from a set-piece, putting Vietnam ahead 1-0.

Reactions after the shock in Malaysia

In their opening match, the Vietnamese futsal team unexpectedly lost 2-4 to Malaysia, a supposedly weaker opponent. Coach Diego Giustozzi's team started confidently, but after conceding a goal to take a 2-1 lead, their defense faltered and became disorganized, leading to what was considered a shocking defeat at the SEA Games 33.

Entering their second match against Indonesia, the Vietnamese futsal team faced a psychological test. Their opponents had just beaten Myanmar 5-1 and displayed clear confidence and momentum. In this context, the approach chosen by coach Diego Giustozzi and his team showed their determination to bounce back after their initial setback.

Pressure from the very first minutes.

According to reports from FPT Football Vietnam, Vietnam proactively pushed forward and created pressure from the opening minutes. In the second minute, Da Hai repeatedly unleashed close-range shots, signaling a day where the red-shirted team wanted to regain the initiative through attack.

This strategy forced Indonesia to retreat and wait for opportunities to counter-attack. It wasn't until the 5th minute that they began to regain control of the game and put pressure on Van Tu's goal, but they were still unable to break through Vietnam's defense.

The highlights continued to come from shots by the Vietnamese pivots and ala. In the 7th minute, Ngoc Anh overcame the challenge of the Indonesian defender and unleashed a dangerous low shot, but the ball narrowly missed the post. Two minutes later, it was Tu Minh Quang's turn to try his luck with a long-range shot from outside the penalty area, but he failed to score.

The free-kick was meticulously orchestrated.

The relentless pressure finally paid off. In the 10th minute, from a set piece, Minh Quang crossed the ball into the Indonesian net, but his teammates were unable to get a shot off in time. However, this was a clear warning about the importance of set-piece arrangements in Vietnamese futsal.

Exactly one minute later, the turning point arrived. A Vietnamese player was fouled, and the red-shirted team was awarded a free kick from a favorable position. Coach Diego Giustozzi's players executed a well-planned combination, stretching the Indonesian defense before Minh Quang unleashed a shot to open the scoring at 1-0.

This goal wasn't just the result of a moment of brilliance, but the product of a continuous series of pressures in the first 10 minutes. The way Vietnam capitalized on the set piece also showed thorough tactical preparation after the loss to Malaysia.

Tactical and moral significance

In futsal, set pieces are often decisive in tense matches. Minh Quang's goal from a set piece shows that Coach Diego Giustozzi's team doesn't just rely on momentary inspiration, but also has clear organizational strategies to break the deadlock.

The early goal also helped Vietnam somewhat relieve the psychological burden after the loss to Malaysia. Instead of starting slowly, the red-shirted team chose to press, shoot continuously, and actively look for mistakes from their opponents, then punish them with a well-rehearsed training plan.

Conversely, Indonesia entered the match with positive momentum after their 5-1 victory over Myanmar. Therefore, Vietnam's early intervention to halt their opponent's momentum with a goal from a free kick can be seen as a major plus point in terms of composure, especially after their mental fortitude was questioned in the opening match.

Starting lineup and match information

The starting lineup as reported by the match source:

• Indonesia: Muhammad Nizar, Rio Pangestu, Iqbal Iskandar, Firman Adriansyah, Evan Soumilena.
• Vietnam: Van Tu, Da Hai, Ngoc Anh, Nhan Gia Hung, Minh Quang.

In the context of needing to quickly forget their opening defeat and facing a confident Indonesia, the way the Vietnamese futsal team proactively attacked and made good use of set pieces to open the scoring was a testament to their ability to compete for medals at the SEA Games 33.