‘Tired and disappointed’: Indonesia captain reflects on heavy ASEAN Cup defeat against Vietnam

Indonesia confidently entered the match at Pakansari Stadium on Monday when they were backed by 30,000 home fans. They held a mental edge following two consecutive victories and a higher Group A ranking than Vietnam, who had just disappointed with a draw against Singapore.

However, Vietnam quickly overwhelmed the home team using effective changes to the lineup, consistent pressing and transitional plays.

Nguyen Van Vi opened the scoring in the sixth minute after a series of quick passes. Nine minutes later, Nguyen Hai Long doubled the lead after a perfect long pass from Le Pham Thanh Long. Substitute Nguyen Xuan Son sealed the dominant 3-0 victory in the 71st minute. The final score could have been worse for Indonesia had the visitors been more clinical with their chances.

After the final whistle, Indonesia players showed signs of frustration as they thanked their supporters.

“The team feel tired, disappointed and frustrated with today’s result,” captain and defender Rizky Ridho said during the post-match press conference. “But when we wake up, we will try to put everything behind us and focus all our energy on the next match.”

Ridho admitted that Vietnam played better while Indonesia failed to execute their tactics.

Playing as a right center-back, Ridho acknowledged his own mistakes that directly led to the first two goals. Both he and goalkeeper Nadeo Argawinata received the lowest match ratings from the statistics website Sofascore, with 5.7 and 5.6.

Local football newspaper Bola added defender Jordi Amat to their list of the three most disappointing players of the match.

“I myself made many mistakes leading to a goal. I will have to reflect on myself to avoid repeating those errors,” Ridho added. “In matches of this magnitude, even a small mistake can cost you dearly. When you lose, all the cracks become apparent.”

Ridho is recognized as a native talent of Indonesian football, capable of competing for a starting position alongside players of Dutch descent trained in Europe. He captained the Indonesia team that captured the gold medal at the 2023 SEA Games and reached the semifinals of the 2024 U23 Asian Cup.

Following the heavy 0-3 loss to Vietnam, Indonesia faced criticism from fans on social media. The 25-year-old center-back considers this a normal part of professional football. He accepts constructive feedback while skipping comments that cross limits. As captain, Ridho is focused on taking responsibility and boosting the mentality of his teammates.

“Now is the time for the team to unite. Don’t just be happy when you win, but bravely face and learn from defeat,” he said. “In the locker room after the match, we sat down and made a firm decision together: we must beat Singapore. There is no other way.”

This match marks the very first time Indonesia have lost to Vietnam at home in the ASEAN Cup. It is also Indonesia’s heaviest home defeat in the tournament’s history. The devastating loss dropped Indonesia to third place in Group A with six points, sitting one point behind both Singapore and Vietnam.

In their crucial final group match on Aug. 7, Indonesia must win on Singapore’s home ground to secure a place in the semis.