Cambodia coach Indra Sjafri praised his colleague Philippe Troussier, but also pointed out that haste caused Vietnam to lose to Indonesia in the semi-finals of the 32nd SEA Games.
"Thank God we won," coach Sjafri said at a press conference after the match at the Olympic Stadium on the afternoon of May 13. "This match was very difficult when Indonesia only scored the decisive goal in the last minute. The players tried very hard when they had to play with 10 men from the 60th minute, but still scored and deservedly won."
The Indonesian coach then praised his colleague Troussier and the Vietnamese players. "He is very admirable. Today, he adjusted many details, helping Vietnam play smoothly. Even though they lost, they made Indonesia suffer for 90 minutes. I believe Troussier will help Vietnamese football create a new and good generation of the team," he said.
Sjafri in the Vietnam - Indonesia match in the men's football semi-final of the 32nd SEA Games at the Olympic Stadium, Phnom Penh on the afternoon of May 13. Photo: Lam Thoa
In this match, Indonesia - the only team to win all the matches in the group stage - opened the scoring in the 10th minute, from a throw-in by Arhan Pratama for centre-back Trisnanda Komang to head. In the 36th minute, they let Vietnam equalise with a header from centre-forward Nguyen Van Tung. In the second half, Indonesia took the lead again, with Ferrari connecting after a throw-in by Arhan.
However, Arhan's second yellow card caused Indonesia many difficulties. They let Vietnam pressure them to the point of suffocation and were equalized 2-2 in the 78th minute, when center-back Bagas Kaffi scored an own goal. Despite the loss of a man, Indonesia remained resilient, fortunately "surviving" Vietnam's attacks. In the counter-attack in the sixth minute of the seven minutes of extra time, the army under Sjafri scored the decisive goal from a low shot by substitute striker Taufany. "Vietnam were a bit hasty. They kept pushing up to find a third goal," said the Indonesian coach. "But I responded by sending two more players onto the field to wait for a counter-attack opportunity and was rewarded with the final situation."
Main developments of the match Vietnam 2-3 Indonesia.
Overcoming Vietnam, Indonesia entered the final on May 16, meeting the winner of the remaining semi-final between Thailand and Myanmar. According to coach Sjafri, the suspension of key player Arhan is a disadvantage, but Indonesia has quality players to replace him. "We have a specific plan for each match, to ensure good preparation in terms of personnel, physical strength and spirit for the players from the beginning of the tournament. Careful preparation has helped the team succeed so far. Hopefully, we will join the remaining team in the final to create a beautiful football party, bringing joy to the host country Cambodia," Sjafri added.
Lam Thoa ( from Phnom Penh )
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