Indonesian fans erupted with emotion after their 7-3 victory over Vietnam, securing a spot in the AFF final.

The commanding 7-3 triumph over Vietnam’s U19 futsal team secured Indonesia’s U19 futsal team a ticket to the Southeast Asian U19 futsal final and ignited an enthusiastic response from the Indonesian fan community online.

The semifinal on the afternoon of December 27 in Nonthaburi saw Vietnam’s U19 futsal team start determined but quickly face challenges. Indonesia scored in the 3rd minute, before Vietnam equalized thanks to a redirected shot by Nguyễn Thắc Hiếu. However, individual mistakes led to the red-shirted team conceding repeatedly, allowing their opponents to take a 3-1 lead. Although Vũ Đại Học narrowed the gap, Indonesia scored again before halftime, ending the first half with a 4-2 advantage.

In the second half, Vietnam’s U19 changed goalkeepers and fought hard but couldn’t stop Indonesia from increasing the pressure, pushing the score to 5-2. Forced to take risks, the red-shirted team used a power play tactic and scored once more. However, pushing forward left Vietnam exposed, enabling Indonesia’s goalkeeper to score twice into an empty net, securing a 7-3 victory and a place in the final for the Indonesian team..

Immediately after the match, Indonesian social media erupted with numerous comments from fans. One supporter bluntly remarked: “Vietnam’s power play looks really strange.”. Another fan wrote: “I don’t understand how Vietnam is playing power play.”.

Besides the sarcasm, many Indonesian fans expressed pride in their national futsal strength: “Indonesia is truly becoming the new king of futsal, dominating at every age group.”.

Another comment highlighted the familiar regional rivalry: “The senior team faces Thailand in the final, U16 also meets Thailand, and U19 will likely meet Thailand too. That’s the real rivalry.”.

The victory over Vietnam propels Indonesia’s U19 futsal team straight into the final, keeping hopes alive for a championship on Thai soil. Meanwhile, the 3-7 loss ends Vietnam’s U19 futsal team’s chance to reach the final, but the young players still showed many positive signs.. Their willingness to use power play and fight until the last minute against a strong opponent is a valuable lesson for the future development of youth futsal in Vietnam.

In the other semifinal, Thailand’s U19 team will face Malaysia’s U19 squad to determine the other finalist, promising to be another focal point for Southeast Asian futsal fans.