Victory over Indonesia a must: Vietnam head coach

"Vietnam defeated Indonesia 3-1 in October 2019. But since then, their squad have experienced major changes, with new coaches and many new players. This is a youthful and high-spirited team. We can all see that under coach Shin Tae-yong’s lead, Indonesia were energetic and determined. I think Shin did a good job balancing the team’s attack and defense," Park said in a pre-match conference Sunday.

Vietnam are topping group G with 11 points after five games. They will face Indonesia, Malaysia and UAE this June. The team need seven more points to secure a place in the final World Cup qualifying round. Therefore, Park wants nothing but a win against Indonesia.

"We have to win this game. In order to make that happen, the team will have to strictly follow the tactics," he added.

National team captain, center-back Que Ngoc Hai shared Park's sentiments.

"Indonesia have changed a lot. They have a new coach with a team full of passionate young players. We watched the game between them and Thailand. Indonesia have shown great spirit when losing. We have to be well-prepared, tactically and mentally. Our target is certainly three points," Hai said.

Coach Shin Tae-yong of Indonesia speaks at a press conference on June 6, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Lam Thoa.

Indonesia are already out of the race for the final qualifying round, but that doesn't mean Vietnam will have an easy game against them.

Coach Shin Tae-yong said: "It's true Indonesia are really confident after drawing with Thailand, but the game against Vietnam promises to be a tough one for us. I have watched many of their games and I can say this is a strong and well-organized team, with great balance in attack and defense. Of course, I want to beat Vietnam. The team will play with the highest level of determination."

History is leaning toward Shin, having faced Park 10 times in the past, winning eight of their meetings.

The match will kick off at 8:45 p.m. local time (11:45 p.m. Hanoi time). The game will be reported live on VnExpress International.