Vietnam’s injury blow: Are Indonesia quietly celebrating or fearing a changing threat?

I stood on the sideline of the VFF Youth Football Training Center one afternoon early in the week. Vietnam's national team split into groups for pressing drills, but my eyes kept drifting to the space on the left flank – the area where Van Vi used to burst forward like a drill. That day, only a young defender stood there, uncertain whether to push up or drop back. The rhythm of feet on the grass never lies; all you need is to stay long enough on the touchline to understand the puzzle Kim Sang Sik is trying to solve. Meanwhile, Indonesian media have already started counting down. Information from a training session suggests Van Vi, Hoang Duc, and Duy Manh might not recover in time for the ASEAN Cup. What worries the coaching staff is not just the star label, but each player's specific role in the tactical system. In the most recent international friendly, Vietnam beat Indonesia 3-0. Van Vi scored the opening goal, while Hoang Duc provided two assists. Those details have not gone unnoticed by Indonesian journalists. Outlets such as CNN Indonesia and Bola.com have repeatedly pointed out that losing this duo could significantly weaken Vietnam's attacking capacity. From my perspective, people often call Van Vi a left-back, but his movement is not typical of a pure full-back. In several training sessions I stood on the touchline and noticed the following: the moment a central defender won the ball, Van Vi did not simply run down the line to stretch the pitch. Instead, he first drifted inside one step, then suddenly accelerated into the space behind the opponent's defender. That is the movement of a left-sided player capable of transitioning from defense to attack in two or three touches. Three times I mispronounced Xhaka taught me to read people before writing. With Van Vi, I read him as a special heartbeat of the left corridor. Without him, Vietnam may lose their fastest escape route from pressure. They would have to play short passes through midfield, where Indonesia could pack numbers. Hoang Duc belongs to the rare group of players who can pull the whole team forward with one pass. The two assists in the 3-0 win are only the visible part. What matters is that he knows when to receive the ball between the opponent's pressing lines. When Hoang Duc appears in that pocket, the entire Indonesian midfield tends to shift to one side, opening up room for full-backs to push forward. Without him, Vietnam's midfield might become safer but less incisive. They would control the ball more, yet deliver fewer game-changing passes. In a short tournament like the ASEAN Cup, that could mean more stalemates. As for Duy Manh, people often call him a 'key pillar' without much detail. But in Southeast Asia, central defenders who can read situations before the ball arrives are an invaluable asset. I remember the 2026 season, when the stadium was empty but people's hearts were full – that year I understood why I was sitting there. In the most difficult moments, every team needs someone who keeps rhythm at the back. Duy Manh often points and adjusts his teammates' positions before the game enters a high-pressure phase. His absence is not something easily measured by stats, but it will show through Vietnam's handling of aerial balls or counter-attacks. One detail I find interesting is that Indonesian media seem excited about their chances, but they forget that losing key players sometimes makes a team more unpredictable. Kim Sang Sik has built teams based on structure, not on individuals. When losing three pillars at once, he might not look for direct replacements but instead change his overall approach. Instead of controlling possession and pressing high, Vietnam could sit deep and wait for opportunities. That style may sound passive, but with young wingers eager to prove themselves, it could turn Indonesia into the trap they did not anticipate. Indonesian pundits appear to underestimate the depth of Vietnam's squad. They look at the absence list and hastily conclude that the path to the final has opened. But they lack data about the cohesion of replacement players. From my experience watching matches, short tournaments often produce surprises from sides that are underrated and forced to change their formation. When Vietnam no longer have Van Vi to sprint down the left, they will attack more through the middle. When Hoang Duc cannot operate in central spaces, other midfielders will gain creative freedom. That could disrupt Indonesia's preparations. In fact, modern football does not allow a team to depend too heavily on three individuals. Based on my experience following matches, Southeast Asian sides usually struggle most when an opponent changes the dynamic, not necessarily when that opponent loses a few names. Indonesia may secretly celebrate the injury news, but they also have reason to worry about Vietnam's counter-attacking system if Kim Sang Sik opts for a low block. In the group stage, a draw or a narrow win still carries value. Vietnam are not obliged to play expansive football to advance. The biggest problem for Kim Sang Sik right now is not finding a direct replacement for Van Vi or Hoang Duc. He needs to find a way for the new lineup to operate smoothly without those familiar rhythms. In recent training sessions, I have seen several young players tried at left-back. They show enthusiasm, but their timing of forward runs is still hesitant. This suggests Vietnam may no longer maintain the same attacking tempo in the opening phase. They could concede territory to Indonesia and wait for individual mistakes. That is a safe option, but it can also become a lethal counter-attacking plan if the younger players perform their tasks. The pitch never lies. Fans can look at the registration list and worry, but what decides the result is how the players move while the ball is still rolling. I have witnessed teams suffer heavy losses before a major tournament and still perform admirably because of team spirit. Conversely, some teams with the strongest squads have been eliminated early due to a lack of tactical ideas. So I will not rush to write off Vietnam. They still have experienced defenders, energetic young midfielders, and a coach who knows how to adapt. The real question now is not whether Indonesia are happy or not, but how Kim Sang Sik will use the last three training sessions before the tournament to build a new framework. He may choose a 3-4-3 with attacking wing-backs, or return to a 4-4-2 with forwards dropping deep to support defense. If Vietnam choose to defend proactively, Indonesia will face a challenge they did not encounter in the recent friendly. In that case, advantage could belong to the less glamorous but better-prepared side. That is why I find the upcoming match truly fascinating. Southeast Asian football has always contained surprises that cannot be explained by theory. A team losing three pillars is often considered weak, but if the coach can use the circumstances to give opportunities to hungry players, they can form a collective that is difficult to beat. I recall a story about a team that went through a pandemic, losing many players due to injuries and unpaid wages, yet still played with a spirit that earned respect from the whole stadium. The stands were empty, but the hearts were full – that year I understood why I was sitting here. Once you understand that, you know that every tactical analysis only matters when we do not forget the human factor. Vietnam enters the ASEAN Cup with a big challenge: to prove they are not a team dependent on a few stars. The absence of Van Vi, Hoang Duc, and Duy Manh could be an opportunity for the younger generation to assert themselves. This may sound like a paradox, but in football, paradox often happens. When familiar options vanish, players must find their own solutions, and that process sometimes creates a more united team. Tomorrow's training session will be the most important test. If the young players perform with confidence and are not afraid of contact, that is a positive sign. If they still hesitate in aerial duels or under pressing, Kim Sang Sik's task becomes harder. I will stand for many more sessions on the touchline to record those rhythms. When the official match begins, the rhythm of feet on the pitch will reveal everything words cannot hide. And I believe Vietnam, even without their pillars, can still surprise their opponents.