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"Thank God we won," Sjafri said in the post-match interview. "This match was really difficult as Indonesia only found the winning goal at the last minute. The players worked very hard when they had to play with 10 men from the 60th minute, but we still scored and won."
Sjafri also praised Vietnam head coach Troussier and his players.
"He deserves to be appreciated. In this match, he made many changes and helped Vietnam play smoothly. Even though they lost, they made Indonesia miserable for 90 minutes. I believe Troussier will help Vietnamese football create a good new generation," Sjafri said.
Despite leading twice in the game, Indonesia let Vietnam equalize both times. In the 60th minute, Pratama Arhan was sent off with a red card and Indonesia had to play with 10 men. However, Indonesia still survived Vietnam’s attacks and even scored the winner in the last minute.
"Vietnam’s players were impatient. They constantly pushed forward to seek the third goal. But I used two substitutions for our counter-attacks and it paid off with the last-minute goal," said coach Sjafri.
After beating Vietnam, Indonesia will play the SEA Games final on May 16 against Thailand. According to Sjafri, Arhan’s suspension is a disadvantage, but Indonesia have quality replacements.
"We’ve had a specific plan for each match – to ensure a good preparation in terms physical and mental health for the players – from the start of the tournament. Thorough preparation has helped the team succeed up to this point," Sjafri concluded.
SEA Games 32 semifinal: Vietnam 2-3 Indonesia
