Futsal

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will face Indonesia in the quarter-finals of the 2026 AFC Futsal Asian Cup in Jakarta on February 3.

After finishing second in Group B, the Vietnamese team will meet hosts Indonesia, who topped Group A. Meanwhile, Thailand (first in Group B) will take on Iraq (second in Group A) in another quarter-final match on the same day.

“Indonesia are a Southeast Asian team with a style and approach to the game similar to ours. Iraq present a different challenge with their unique playing style. Indonesia also benefit from playing at home with support from a large crowd. However, once we reach the quarter-finals, all eight teams are among the strongest in Asia," coach Diego Giustozzi of Việt Nam commented.

“We aim to continue our winning streak to reach the semi-finals and make history. I’m very proud of my players. This team are very young; out of 14 players, eight are participating in an AFC tournament for the first time, and many are only 20-21 years old. I believe we can leave a special mark in this year’s tournament.”

In the world futsal rankings, the Vietnamese national team are currently ranked 20th, four places higher than Indonesia. However, rankings don't fully reflect the reality. In recent years, Indonesian futsal has developed rapidly, with significant investment at both the national and domestic league levels. Notably, Indonesia achieved a stunning gold medal at the recent 33rd SEA Games, defeating Thailand 6-1 in the final.

At the same SEA Games, Việt Nam were the only team to secure a victory over Indonesia, winning 1-0 in the group stage, although Việt Nam ultimately finished fourth behind Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.

These facts suggest the two teams are closely matched. While Indonesia have the home advantage and enthusiastic fan support, Việt Nam boasts a generation of young, energetic players maturing with each match. This contrast is sure to create a contest that is both tactically intense and emotionally charged.

Indonesian futsal coach Hector Souto has also expressed high ambitions. After winning Group A, the Spanish coach aims to lead Indonesia to the semi-finals of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup for the first time. He acknowledged that the match against Việt Nam would be intense, as Southeast Asian teams like Malaysia, Thailand, Việt Nam and Indonesia are all at a similar level.

However, Souto said that Indonesia enter the quarter-final with a relaxed mindset. He stated that his team feels no heavy pressure, as their primary goal is to focus on the preparation process and progress step by step. He even suggested that Việt Nam may be under more pressure, given their history of reaching the semi-finals multiple times.

Việt Nam previously made history at the Asian stage by reaching the semi-finals in 2016, a breakthrough that earned the country its first-ever berth at the FIFA Futsal World Cup.

Building on that legacy and bolstered by a new generation of promising young players, the Vietnamese side are widely expected to make another strong impression at this year’s continental championship. — VNS