Coach Troussier: 'The match with Indonesia is like the final'

The Vietnamese team will have their second match at the 2023 Asian Cup tomorrow afternoon, January 19. Speaking about this encounter, coach Troussier said: ''The match with Indonesia is part of the overall process to pass the group stage. We aim to get 3 points in this match, and if possible also the match against Iraq, that would be 6 points. If we don't get the maximum number of points, we will try to get the appropriate points, plus the goal difference to pass the group stage.

We still have the right to decide, but I'm sure Indonesia will say the same. The chances for both teams tomorrow are 50/50 and the result can be decided by small details from the performance of the players on the field.

The French strategist affirmed that the Vietnamese team will continue to control the game against Indonesia: "We lost to Japan, which is not surprising because of the huge difference in skill between the two teams. However, the details of the match show that we played strongly and controlled the ball at some points.

Our style of play emphasizes minimizing danger and defending safely by controlling the ball. Therefore, the match against Indonesia will also require maintaining ball control. Indonesia is very strong in spirit and plays aggressively, so we need to gain that control even more.

Coach Troussier also said that the new style of play of the Vietnamese team is necessary for the long-term goal: ''Every coach wants to win, and we want to have surprises against any opponent. Our goal is to pass the group stage. The last two times the Vietnamese team participated in the Asian Cup in 2007 and 2019, they also passed the group stage. We still have the right to decide before the match against Indonesia.

Sometimes the results do not match expectations. But the goal of Vietnamese football is to close the gap with the top 10 in Asia, and to do this we must be more proactive with the ball.

The captain of the Vietnamese team believes that meeting Indonesia will be like the final of the AFF Cup: ''I am impressed with their number 7 player, midfielder Marselino Ferdinan, he showed outstanding performance in the previous match. But if we look at it objectively, their greatest strength is their collective fighting spirit. They have a balance in both attack and defense. Besides Ferdinan, their number 11 player is also remarkable (striker Rafael Struick). And the two central midfielders of Indonesia play strongly and have a lot of fighting spirit.

Tomorrow will be a difficult match for both teams. In the match against Japan, we will play to prove ourselves, and in this match against Indonesia, we will have to play for the result to prove our position. Coach Troussier concluded.

The Vietnamese team will face Indonesia in the second match of Group D of the 2023 Asian Cup at 9:30 p.m. on January 19, Hanoi time./.