Indonesia coach: 'We are here to win'

“We have the opportunity and we are here to win. The players are well-prepared for this match. The whole team believes in achieving the best possible result in the rematch against Vietnam. We also believe we will be able to show our best form. Let's wait and see what Indonesia can show,” Coach Shin Tae Yong said at the press conference before the second leg of the 2022 AFF Cup semi-final against Vietnam.

Coach Shin Tae Yong at the press conference before the second leg of the semi-final. Photo: Hai Hoang

"I agree that the Vietnamese team organized their defense well in the first leg, but that doesn't mean Indonesia is incapable of attacking. We didn't score, but we created many opportunities."

"In the second leg, the players all tried their best and were determined to win. That's an advantage. I don't think the Indonesian team has any disadvantages in tomorrow's match," coach Shin Tae Yong continued.

Coach Shin Tae Yong believes the Indonesian national team is now on par with the Vietnamese and Thai national teams. Photo: Hai Hoang

Regarding the fact that the Indonesian team flew directly from Jakarta to Hanoi on a chartered plane, taking only four hours, while the Vietnamese team took half a day to travel back home, Coach Shin admitted that his team had a slight advantage because the players were less fatigued. "Actually, this is a small advantage. The Vietnamese team had a layover in Ho Chi Minh City and faced more difficulties in terms of travel time," Coach Shin stated.

The semi-finals featured three South Korean coaches leading the national teams of Malaysia, Indonesia, and Indonesia. Regarding this, Coach Shin Tae Yong shared: “This is a source of motivation for me personally, creating competition, building, and contributing to the development of football in South Korea and Southeast Asia.”

Assessing their opponent in the second leg of the semi-final, coach Shin Tae Yong said: “The Vietnamese team is strong. Previously, they and Thailand were among the top teams in Southeast Asia. However, since I arrived, Indonesia has developed day by day and could get even better. I consider Indonesia, Thailand, and Vietnam to be on par with each other at the moment.”

"Both teams want to win to advance to the final. No one wants a draw that leads to extra time or a penalty shootout; they want to settle the match within the 90 minutes of regular time," Coach Shin Tae Yong concluded.