Việt Nam’s coach Philippe Troussier said the Vietnamese team will never give up and try to win the rematch against Indonesia in Hà Nội. Photo congluan.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI - Following the defeat away against Indonesia, coach Philippe Troussier expressed his disappointment, but remains optimistic and believes that the Vietnamese team can win the return fixture when they meet again in Hà Nội.

For the first time in history, Indonesia have won consecutive matches against the Việt Nam. After their 1-0 win during the group stage of the AFC Asian Cup 2023 in January, Coach Shin Tae-yong and his team repeated the same score line in the second qualifying round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Thursday.

This loss also marks the first time that the Vietnamese team have been defeated at Bung Karno Stadium, dropping them down to the third place in Group F, trailing behind the group leader, Iraq, by six points and one point behind Indonesia in second place.

"In the second leg, our team will give it our all. We refuse to give up or surrender," said coach Troussier.

"To progress, we must secure a victory in the next match. We can view the two matches against Indonesia as knockout rounds in the Champions League. This is only the beginning; there is still the return leg.

"We must maintain our focus. Although the results were unsatisfactory, my players gave their best. Our objective is to close the gap after the match at Mỹ Đình National Stadium in Hà Nội."

However, he could not conceal his disappointment after the defeat.

He added: "We were mentally prepared, so we were not caught off guard by the atmosphere or the pressure from the stadium. In the first half, the Vietnamese team controlled the game quite well, particularly in defence without the ball and transitions, creating several scoring opportunities while preventing the opponents from dominating possession.

"However, in a balanced match, the team that scores first gains an advantage. Our loss resulted from individual errors. Although we had practiced various scenarios extensively, football remains unpredictable." 

The French coach also acknowledged his players' efforts in adhering to tactics and movement off the ball. Troussier highlighted that positive aspects were evident in the match, which will aid the team's performance in the second leg in Hà Nội.

Coach Troussier admitted that the Bung Karno pitch was below par but refrained from using it as an excuse for the defeat. He also noted that Indonesia's naturalised players did not possess significant differences compared to the rest of the team. The turning point of the match occurred when the Vietnamese team conceded a goal in the second half, altering the dynamics on the field.

The Vietnamese team returned home on Friday and will have three days to prepare for the rematch with Indonesia, scheduled for 7pm on March 26 at Mỹ Đình National Stadium. VNS