What did Indonesia's coach say before the match against Vietnam's team?

Indonesia U17 coach Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto made notable remarks ahead of facing Vietnam U17 in the Southeast Asian Championship.

On the eve of the 2026 Southeast Asian U17 Championship, Indonesia U17 head coach Kurniawan Dwi Yulianto shared noteworthy comments in a press conference, as his team is grouped with Vietnam U17, Malaysia, and Timor Leste.

The host nation's coach acknowledged the group stage is not easy, especially with two direct competitors. However, he emphasized the team has prepared thoroughly: “We have prepared very well for this tournament, including playing international friendlies to finalize the squad.”

Although the results of the trial matches were not as desired, he remained optimistic: “We may not have achieved good results in the friendlies, but the important thing is the players have learned a lot and are ready for the main tournament.”

Regarding the opening match against Timor Leste, Coach Kurniawan affirmed this is a crucial stepping stone: “The first match is always very important. We must seize this opportunity to win and build positive momentum. On paper, we are certainly expected to win convincingly.”

Referring to the two main opponents in the group, Vietnam U17 and Malaysia, the Indonesian strategist expressed caution: “Malaysia and Vietnam are both strong teams. They certainly want to defeat Indonesia, so we must maintain maximum focus.”

Besides technical factors, he also emphasized the advantage of playing at home in East Java: “Playing at home is a major advantage. I hope fans will come to the stadium and provide extra motivation for the players.”