Indonesia U23 coach apologizes after bitter defeat at home

On the evening of July 29, U23 Indonesia suffered a 0-1 defeat to U23 Vietnam at home at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in the final match of the U23 Southeast Asia 2025. The only goal scored by Nguyen Cong Phuong in the 37th minute brought victory to the "Golden Star Warriors". This was the second consecutive loss of the team from the archipelago to U23 Vietnam. In the match that took place 2 years ago, Garuda fell on penalties with a score of 5-6.

In the press conference after the defeat against U23 Vietnam, coach Gerald Vanenburg apologized to Indonesian football fans. He said: "Thank you everyone for supporting us, I am very sorry for this loss."

Despite the disappointing result, the Dutch tactician was still proud of his players' efforts. He praised the players for their dedication. He said: "I think it was a tough game. We had a few chances, but conceded a goal from a set piece.

But honestly, I think the players did their best. They tried very hard. I'm proud of the players."

Mr. Vanenburg said he did not want to discuss this match too much: "Sometimes we win, but there are times when we lose. The team will look forward to the next tournament." In September 2025, U23 Indonesia will participate in the 2025 U23 Asian Qualifiers. Coach Gerald Vanenburg said he will continue to coach U23 Indonesia in this tournament, but will not lead the team at the 2025 SEA Games. The information was confirmed by the president of the Indonesian Football Federation (PSSI), Erick Thohir, after the final match of the U23 Southeast Asia.