What to expect in the Vietnam - Indonesia match

At 7:30 p.m. tonight (December 15), Vietnam National Team will face Indonesia. This is the match between the only two teams that have maintained a winning streak in Group B ofAFF Cup 2020 with 6 points after 2 matches. Victory will help Indonesia and Vietnam win 1 of 2 tickets to the semi-finals.

Before the match,Vietnam National Teamare highly appreciated by fans for what they have shown in the past time. In addition, we have a squad with superior quality compared to our opponents in all positions. Meanwhile, Indonesia is still a young team that does not have much experience in the international arena. Their last 2 victories did not satisfy experts and fans because they were against very weak teams, Laos and Cambodia.

However, that does not mean that Vietnam team can be complacent against Indonesia, especially when they have a player in high form like Evan Dimas in the squad. The match for the ticket to the semi-finals of the AFF Cup 2020 has 4 points worth waiting for below.

Early ticket to the semi-finals of AFF Cup 2020

With a perfect record in the first two matches, both Indonesia and Vietnam are aiming for their third win. This is a great source of motivation for both teams.

Vietnam vs Indonesia compete for tickets to the semi-finals of AFF Cup 2020. Photo: VFF

Compared to Vietnam, Indonesia needs 3 points more. Because if they do not win, they will have to decide their own fate before the final match - where they will meet their neighbor Malaysia. Meanwhile, Vietnam will face an easier opponent, Cambodia.

If they lose to Indonesia, Vietnam still has a chance to continue. Because coach Park Hang-seo and his team need to win against Cambodia as much as possible to compete for a ticket to the semi-finals.

However, Vietnam is rated higher than Indonesia and fans want Vietnam to defeat their opponents to quickly get a ticket to the semi-finals rather than falling into the remaining scenario.

Revenge in 2016

If nothing changes, goalkeeper Tran Nguyen Manh will continue to be given the opportunity to play in the match against Indonesia tonight (December 15). In the previous two matches, the goalkeeper from Nghe An helped the Vietnamese team keep a clean sheet.

He will soon have a chance to take revenge on Indonesia. Personally, he still cannot forget the sad memory in the semi-finals of the AFF Cup 2016, where he made a mistake that caused the Vietnamese team to lose 3-4 after 2 matches.

Not only Nguyen Manh, the upcoming match with Indonesia is an opportunity for the "Golden Star Warriors" to show themselves. The last time Vietnam faced Indonesia at the AFF Cup was 5 years ago and at that time we suffered a bitter defeat against this opponent.

In fact, in recent years, the Vietnam National Team has no longer feared Indonesia. From being a very formidable opponent for Vietnam, the Indonesian eagle suddenly became a nightingale in recent confrontations with Vietnam. In 4 matches including 2 levels of U23 and National Team, facing 3 different generations of Indonesian coaches including Simon McMenemy, Indra Sjafri and Shin Tae Yong, the Vietnam National Team still won convincing and impressive victories. The most recent was the 4-0 victory of the Vietnam National Team against Indonesia in the second leg of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers held last June.

The battle of wits between two Korean coaches

Coach Park Hang-seo has another chance to compete with his compatriot coach - Shin Tae-yong. This is the second time the two teams have met in 2021. As mentioned above, the last time the two teams met, Coach Park Hang-seo's team defeated Coach Shin's Indonesia with a score of 4-0. Before the AFF Cup 2020, the coach of the Garuda birds also had to admit: "Coach Park Hang-seo's Vietnam team is the strongest team in the AFF Cup. They are a candidate for the championship."

However, it must be admitted that Indonesian football has changed dramatically since coach Shin arrived. From being a team that lost direction, with a rough playing style and a dry attack, they have now had positive changes.

Evan Dimas vs Nguyen Tuan Anh

The match between Indonesia and Vietnam is also awaited by the direct competition between the two best players of the two teams, Evan Dimas and Nguyen Tuan Anh. Evan Dimas is the soul of Indonesia's attacking style. Although playing in the midfield position, this player's scoring efficiency is very impressive.

Tuan Anh competes with Evan Dimas.

Furthermore, Evan Dimas plays an important role in Indonesia's play. He is responsible for distributing the ball and often moves up to be ready to launch close-range shots. In addition, he is also assigned to wear the captain's armband of Indonesia.

Meanwhile, Tuan Anh, although not as prominent as Evan Dimas, is an indispensable factor in the Vietnamese team. In the match against Malaysia, "Chang Nho" played the full 90 minutes and contributed 1 assist, winning the best player award of the match.