U22 Indonesia entered the final group stage match of the 2033 SEA Games with a new mindset, as the opportunity to advance was opened up thanks to U22 Vietnam's 2-0 victory over U22 Malaysia.

With the Indonesian youth team suffering a shocking defeat in their opening match and falling to the bottom of the group of second-placed teams, the developments in Group B have become a crucial catalyst.

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From a state of despair, the Indonesian U22 team found a glimmer of hope thanks to the Vietnamese U22 team. Photo: ANTARA

Vietnam U22's victory over Malaysia U22 not only changed the group standings but also gave Indonesia U22 a chance to advance.

Previously, Indonesian media were pessimistic, considering the possibility of elimination even before the final match against U22 Myanmar (6:00 PM on December 12th), if U22 Vietnam drew with U22 Malaysia – a result that would allow both teams to advance.

Even coach Indra Sjafri was initially not very optimistic about the situation of the reigning SEA Games champions. He was criticized for publicly disparaging some of his players after the loss to the U22 Philippines.

Therefore, Indonesian media believe that the Vietnam U22 team has just given a gift to "Garuda Muda".

"Vietnam U22 opens up opportunities for Indonesia U22 ," wrote Bola. Now it's time for Indra Sjafri's team to seize the opportunity.

Within the Indonesian U22 team, the victory of the Vietnamese U22 team was also celebrated by everyone.

Nevertheless, Indra Sjafri understands that they have a lot to do to turn Vietnam U22's "gift" into a semi-final ticket.

Before the match against U22 Myanmar, U22 Indonesia clearly defined their objective: not just to win, but to win by at least 3 goals to surpass U22 Malaysia in the tie-breaking criteria.

Indonesia U22 currently has a goal difference of -1 and has yet to score. Meanwhile, Malaysia U22 has a goal difference of +1 and has scored 4 goals.

This means that if U22 Malaysia wins by a margin of 2 goals, the advantage will be with them. If U22 Indonesia wins 4-2, the statistics will be balanced and the two teams will also have to consider disciplinary points (or fair-play points).

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U22 Indonesia needs to win by a margin of 3 goals. Photo: Bola

The U22 Indonesian team had to attack comprehensively. Coach Sjafri experimented with personnel and various formations, from 4-2-4 to 4-3-3, or the familiar 4-2-3-1 from his time coaching the U20 team.

Besides their technical skills, the Indonesian U22 team's morale is high. They understand that the tournament is not over yet and things can still change overnight.

"Our World Cup goal has failed, so the only thing left to focus on now is defending our SEA Games gold medal," a representative of the Indonesian Football Federation declared.

Based on that message, the Indonesian U22 team determined that the match against the Myanmar U22 team would be a do-or-die 90 minutes, where every mistake must be minimized and every opportunity must be converted into a goal.

The U22 Indonesian team played with the mentality of a team with no room for error. A minimal victory was meaningless; a two-goal lead would also be disadvantageous. There was only one option: a three-goal lead, or going home.

Watch SEA Games 33, stand alongside the Vietnamese Sports Delegation, in its entirety onFPT Play, at: http://fptplay.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/u22-indonesia-cam-on-u22-viet-nam-quyet-ha-u22-myanmar-2471761.html