Indonesia's coach admits a shocking fact after defeating Vietnam in the quarterfinals

Despite advancing to the 2026 Asian Futsal semifinals with a 3-2 victory, coach Hector Souto still showed dissatisfaction and admitted that the Vietnamese team played better.

On the evening of March 2, 2026, at Indonesia Arena, Central Jakarta, the Indonesian futsal team defeated Vietnam's futsal team 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Asian Futsal Cup, thereby earning a place in the semifinals. However, contrary to the usual celebratory atmosphere, head coach Hector Souto appeared before the media with a heavy and thoughtful mood.

Indonesia's three goals were scored by Brian Ick in the 4th minute, Ardiansyah Nur in the 11th, and Reza Gunawan in the 26th. For Vietnam, Nguyễn Đa Hải scored twice at the 25th and 36th minutes, constantly putting the hosts under intense pressure throughout most of the second half. Although advancing, Indonesia clearly failed to create the convincing gameplay expected.

After the match, Hector Souto surprised many by frankly pointing out the difference in quality of play. “Honestly, I am not satisfied. Very unsatisfied and quite saddened by the team's performance. I think Vietnam played much better than us”, the Spanish strategist stated. According to him, Indonesia only excelled in set-piece situations, while most of the match was dominated by the opponent's style.

Souto further analyzed: “We were only superior in dead-ball situations, and that is not the kind of game I want the Indonesian futsal team to show”.

He believes his players lost their identity, playing too cautiously and lacking initiative in controlling the match. “I think the players were just trying not to lose possession rather than truly playing football”, he admitted.

The 48-year-old coach also pointed out specific problems in Indonesia’s system operation. According to Souto, the hosts struggled from the start with coordination among central positions. “We had a lot of difficulty connecting with the center backs. From the beginning, Vietnam played very direct, creating many set-piece chances, which caused us early trouble”, he explained.

Nevertheless, Souto also recognized some positive situational aspects. After a difficult start, Indonesia gradually controlled the ball better, especially after reorganizing the midfield.

“After that, we coordinated more smoothly with the defensive midfielder, created chances from set-pieces, and scored again from another dead-ball situation. This shows we still managed some details well”, he said.

In the semifinals, Indonesia will face Japan, a highly regarded opponent known for their organization and intensity. Based on the performance against Vietnam, Hector Souto’s frank admission is not merely humility but also a clear warning: without improving their style, Indonesia will struggle to advance further despite their recent win.

The Indonesian futsal team will compete against Japan for a place in the final at Indonesia Arena on Thursday (February 5, 2026).