Indonesian media uniformly praised coach Kim Sang-sik's squad after their 2-0 victory over Jordan on the evening of 6/1. CNN Indonesia headlined: "Vietnam dominates Jordan". The article lauded Vietnam for its quick play and team spirit, scoring both goals in the first half through forward Nguyen Dinh Bac and center-back Nguyen Hieu Minh.

Vice-captain Nguyen Dinh Bac celebrates Vietnam's opening goal with captain Khuat Van Khang (number 11), during the match against Jordan in the opening round of group A, U23 Asian championship at King Abdullah Sports City Hall, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 6/1. Photo: Ted Tran

Suara Merdeka published an article stating: "The result between Vietnam and Jordan has made Indonesia envious".

The newspaper explained that Vietnam secured a spot in the finals, while Indonesia was eliminated in the qualifiers. "Furthermore, coach Kim's squad easily defeated Jordan", the report added. "Indonesia and Vietnam were the pride of Southeast Asia, both advancing past the group stage in the previous tournament. Vietnam reached the quarterfinals, while Indonesia made it to the semifinals. However, this time, only Vietnam and Thailand are participating in the final round".

Key moments of the Vietnam 2-0 Jordan match.

TribunWow also noted Vietnam's positive start with three points on opening day. Theoretically, Jordan was rated much higher, the news site wrote. "They also somewhat demonstrated their strength with 21 shots, compared to 13 from Vietnam. But the Southeast Asian representative played more effectively, with 6 shots on target and two entirely deserved goals".

However, the news site also warned that Khuat Van Khang and his teammates should not become complacent, as two matches remain: against Kyrgyzstan on 9/1 and hosts Saudi Arabia on 12/1. "Regardless, the victory against Jordan is a smooth start for coach Kim's team to continue hoping to conquer the Asian arena".

Bola Okezone commented that Vietnam played proactively and strategically, demonstrated by their dominant performance from the outset, including a long-range shot by defender Pham Minh Phuc that goalkeeper Awwad Suleiman struggled to save. In the second half, despite facing significant pressure, Vietnam maintained their 2-0 victory. "This is a resounding result for Vietnam in a prestigious competition like the U23 Asian championship", the news site commented.

In the U23 Asian championship 2024 finals, Indonesia also secured a decisive 4-1 victory over Jordan in the group stage. They subsequently reached the semifinals but lost to Uzbekistan, then were defeated by Iraq in the third-place play-off. In this qualifying round, Indonesia hosted but drew with Laos, leading to them missing out on a spot in the finals.

Hoang An