Coach Kim was once a champion on foreign soil: Why should U.23 Vietnam be afraid of the "fiery pan" of Indonesia?

Playing the final match at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium of U.23 Indonesia is a huge challenge, but believe that U.23 Vietnam will find a way to overcome it.

The roar of Gelora Bung Karno awaits U.23 Vietnam

"We could barely hear anything. Everything on the pitch was so loud. Players standing a few metres apart couldn't even call each other," a member of the Vietnamese team recalled of the 0-0 draw with Indonesia at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, which took place in December 2022 in the first leg of the AFF Cup semi-finals.

That is the characteristic "roar" at Gelora Bung Karno, one of the harshest and noisiest stadiums in Asia. With a capacity of 78,000 seats, Gelora Bung Karno is not only crowded, but also has many passionate fan clubs, the most typical of which is Ultras Indonesia.

U.23 Vietnam is ready

PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG

On the fiery Gelora Bung Karno, the Indonesian team defeated Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, China and drew with Australia. In Southeast Asia, the fire in the fortress of nearly 80,000 spectators also caused many times for Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia... to suffer.

That is the huge challenge that U.23 Vietnam is preparing to face in the final match of U.23 Southeast Asia 2025. Although U.23 Indonesia cannot be compared to the Indonesian team in terms of stature, the "heat" of Gelora Bung Karno will not decrease. Coach Kim Sang-sik's students are preparing to face the most difficult match from both opponents and external factors.

The roars that once made the Vietnamese team "breathless" will now repeat with a young squad of players lacking international experience, many of whom have never played in the V-League. Especially when, throughout this tournament, U.23 Vietnam only plays on empty stadiums, so they can focus on the competition, unlike the upcoming final match.

However, U.23 Vietnam must overcome pressure to mature. The pressure on a hot "fire pan" like Gelora Bung Karno is a yardstick for coach Kim Sang-sik to clearly see which players are truly brave, mature, and qualified to step up to the Vietnam national team in the future.

While the technical and tactical levels of young players today are not too different (for example, "strange birds" like Xuan Bac, Anh Quan, Hieu Minh, despite playing in the first division, still compete fairly for positions), what makes the difference is the competitive mentality. Only the tough, stubborn names that can overcome the heat of U.23 Indonesia have enough potential to continue to nurture the national team.

Teacher Kim's 'psychological warfare'

The Vietnamese team once won the championship on the "fire pan" Rajamangala, before the heavy boos of the Thai people in the final of AFF Cup 2024.

Besides the experience of the players who have played in many big tournaments since the time of former coach Park Hang-seo, the success at the AFF Cup also comes from the ability to "light the fire" of coach Kim Sang-sik.

U.23 Vietnam is ready to face pressure in the final

PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG

The Korean coach has reasonable tactics and methods to train his players to regulate their breathing and control the rhythm of play under pressure. Coach Kim's words of encouragement and inspiration both before the match and on the sidelines during the match also created motivation for the Vietnamese team to overcome difficulties.

At the 2025 U.23 Southeast Asian Championship, Coach Kim Sang-sik is recreating his passionate image. He constantly goes to the sidelines to urge his players. The image of Mr. Kim... kneeling on the field when his players miss opportunities shows the endless energy of the Korean coach. He follows every move closely, always close by to create a sense of security for his players. A true "warrior" of U.23 Vietnam.

In the decisive match at Gelora Bung Karno, coach Kim Sang-sik's role is very important. He not only guides the tactics and "inspires" the young army, but also needs to do careful psychological work. U.23 Vietnam may be surprised by the pressure on the U.23 Indonesia field. They must be fully prepared mentally and in spirit to be able to stand firm.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/thay-kim-tung-vo-dich-tren-dat-khach-u23-viet-nam-sao-phai-ngai-chao-lua-indonesia-185250728170240718.htm