Indonesia's coach confident about defeating Vietnam in the Asian Cup quarterfinals

Coach Hector Souto is determined to help Indonesia's futsal team overcome Vietnam in the 2026 Asian Futsal Championship quarterfinals.

Vietnam's futsal team will face the host nation Indonesia in the quarterfinals of the 2026 Asian Futsal Championship, scheduled for 7:00 PM on February 3rd. This matchup is particularly intriguing as both teams know each other well, but Indonesia holds a slight advantage due to home ground conditions.

Coach Souto of Indonesia's futsal team fully understands that there are no secrets between the two sides, as Vietnam and Indonesia frequently compete regionally, and his team was defeated in their most recent encounter at the 2025 SEA Games.

“We have faced Vietnam’s futsal team many times, so we know exactly what to expect. I hope to have some players returning, and with a full squad, we can deliver a strong performance,” Coach Souto, who led Indonesia to a SEA Games gold medal in 2025 despite a 1-0 loss to Vietnam, stated.

“I know the coach and some players who were once my students. When Vietnam reached the semifinals in 2016, I was an assistant coach, but this time, I aim to take Indonesia to the semifinals.”

The 2016 tournament remains Vietnam’s best achievement in the Asian Futsal Championships, having unexpectedly beaten Japan on penalties to reach the semifinals. A decade later, Diego Giustozzi’s team seems to have the quality to at least match that accomplishment.

Regarding the Indonesian futsal team, Coach Diego Giustozzi considers them one of the strongest teams in Asia currently. “Indonesia has won the SEA Games, earned numerous important titles, and is accustomed to playing in front of tens of thousands of fans. They have a high-quality squad and strong competitive spirit. However, I am satisfied with what Vietnam’s futsal team has shown and fully trust my players,” shared the Argentine strategist.