Indonesia U23 Coach: 'We are ready to win the championship'

Before the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 final, coach Gerald Vanenburg affirmed that U23 Indonesia will do everything to keep the championship trophy at home stadium Bung Karno.

Coach Gerald Vanenburg affirmed that U23 Indonesia will win the championship at home. Photo: Bola Sport .

“We will prepare our best to win the championship. The players have been playing with great spirit since the beginning of the tournament and are looking forward to the final match with great confidence,” U23 Indonesia coach Gerald Vanenburg shared at a press conference before the match on July 28.

Indonesia U23 entered the final with many concerns about their squad. Three key players, including naturalized striker Jens Raven and midfielders Arkhan Fikri and Toni Firmansyah, all had injury problems.

Regarding the possibility of these important players playing, coach Vanenburg said: “They are focusing on recovery and their spirit is still very good. Hopefully these players can play, but if not, we will still have an alternative plan. The last training session will help us assess the situation more accurately.”

A year ago, U23 Indonesia lost to U23 Vietnam in the final on penalties. However, coach Vanenburg is not worried about a similar scenario happening again: “We are not afraid of the penalty shootout. My players performed very well in the semi-final. The most important thing is confidence.”

The Dutch coach also revealed that he has recovered from losing his voice and was unable to attend the press conference after the semi-final. However, he believes that his players are capable enough to compete without too much guidance from the coaching staff: "They know what to do on the pitch. Sometimes they don't even want me to talk too much."

Speaking ahead of the match, Achmad Syari said: “We are ready to win. The key will be patience, controlling the game and taking advantage of opportunities to score.”

The final match between U23 Indonesia and U23 Vietnam will take place at 8:00 p.m. on July 29 at Bung Karno Stadium.

Source: https://znews.vn/hlv-u23-indonesia-chung-toi-san-sang-gianh-chuc-vo-dich-post1572310.html