Vietnam Faces Hosts Indonesia in 2025 AFF U-23 Cup Final in Jakarta

The Indonesian U-23 national team is set to face Vietnam in the 2025 AFF U-23 Cup final at the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Jakarta. Vietnam, the two-time defending champion, is confident under coach Kim Sang-sik, who highlighted the team's physical advantage due to a less demanding semifinal compared to Indonesia's grueling 7-6 penalty shootout win over Thailand. Indonesia, coached by Gerald Vanenburg, has shown strong defensive performance but faces challenges with key midfielders Toni Firmansyah and Arkhan Fikri unavailable for the final, requiring strategic rotations. Football observer Yusuf Kurniawan cautioned Vanenburg to avoid tactical errors and frustration-driven decisions, emphasizing the need for discipline against Vietnam's well-organized and tactically disciplined side. Both teams have demonstrated resilience and stamina throughout the tournament, with Indonesia relying on home crowd support and Vietnam banking on their midfield dominance and attacking strengths from players like Nguyen Dinh Bac and Nguyen Xuan Bac. The final promises a tightly contested match with Vietnam aiming for a historic third consecutive title, while Indonesia seeks victory within regular time despite the squad challenges.