Indonesian Vice President predicts home team to win big against U23 Vietnam

Indonesian Vice President predicts home team will win big against U23 Vietnam - photo 1 — Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka (left) at an event in Jakarta. Mr. Gibran has just expressed strong belief in the victory of U23 Indonesia against U23 Vietnam in the final match of U23 Southeast Asia 2025.

Tonight (July 29), the final match of the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship will take place at Gelora Bung Karno National Stadium (GBK), Jakarta.

The host team U23 Indonesia will face U23 Vietnam - the defending champion for two consecutive years - in a match that is considered to be evenly matched.

However, Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka has great faith in the young team of the archipelago nation.

Speaking during an inspection of the Forest Fire Prevention Command Center in Riau on July 28, Mr. Gibran did not hesitate to make a prediction: "If we look at the current form, I think the team is very energetic and can win 3-0."

Mr. Gibran Rakabuming Raka is the Vice President of Indonesia, starting his term from 2024. He was born in 1987 and served as Mayor of Surakarta (Solo) from 2021 to 2024. Gibran is the eldest son of former President Joko Widodo.

Before entering politics , he was active in the catering and event planning business. Gibran's appointment as Vice President at the age of 37 has attracted attention as Indonesia pushes for the participation of the younger generation in senior leadership positions.

This comment reflects the great expectations of Indonesian officials on the achievements of coach Gerald Vanenburg and his team - who are expected to bring home the first title at the regional tournament, and at the same time erase the "second-place curse" that Indonesian football has carried for many years.

Both Indonesia and Vietnam will enter the third final in their history of participating in the Southeast Asian U23 tournament.

For the home team, this is the most appropriate time to "pay back the debt" of defeat against U23 Vietnam in the 2023 final - the match in which Indonesia fell after the fateful penalty shootout.

In this reunion, speaking at the press conference before the match, coach Vanenburg affirmed that Indonesia's goal is to win in the 90 minutes of official play.

“We want to win in 90 minutes against Vietnam. But of course, if we have to take penalties, it will depend on the players’ spirit and a little bit of luck,” he said at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium on the afternoon of July 28.

The Dutch strategist's confidence was reinforced after his players' brave performance in the semi-finals, where they overcame Thailand U23 in a penalty shootout. According to Mr. Vanenburg, the team's fighting spirit is the biggest support if the final has to be prolonged.

“We saw great fighting spirit from the players in the semi-final, and we were also lucky to beat Thailand. So, if we have to go to a penalty shootout in the final, we will not worry. We do not practice penalty shootouts, but if we have to go to a penalty shootout, we will win,” he added.

The final match between U23 Indonesia and U23 Vietnam will take place at 8:00 p.m. today, expected to be a top match between two typical representatives of the new generation of football in Southeast Asia.

If they win, Indonesia will be crowned regional U23 champions for the first time; and if Vietnam wins, they will set a record of three consecutive championships.

Watch the full 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Football Championship Mandiri Cup™ on FPT Play, visit http://fptplay.vn

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/pho-tong-thong-indonesia-du-doan-doi-nha-thang-dam-u23-viet-nam-157282.html