Doha. Asnawi Mangkualam's only goal left Indonesian football fans hopeful following the national team's 1-0 victory against arch-rival Vietnam on Friday. This victory marks the Garuda Squad's first win of their 2023 Asian Cup campaign, breaking a streak that extends back to 2007 when they last won a group stage match in the Asian Cup against Bahrain.

With this victory, Indonesia climbed one spot to third place in the Group D standings with 3 points. Indonesia outperformed other teams in the race for the third-best group ranking, such as Tajikistan (Group A), Syria (Group B), and Palestine (Group C), each accumulating only one point after two matches. Meanwhile, having played only one match, Bahrain (Group E) and Oman (Group F) have yet to secure any points.

Indonesia's victory against Vietnam paves the way for a potential match with Australia in the last 16. Maintaining their third position in Group D with more points than the third spots in Groups A and C is crucial for the Red-and-White to face the leader of Group B, currently held by Australia, in the next elimination stage. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan, the runner-up in Group B, is set to confront Australia in the final group stage match. Should the White Wolves manage to upset the Socceroos, they will ascend to the top of Group B.

In the final group stage match, Indonesia will face Japan at Al Thumama Stadium in Doha, Qatar, on Wednesday at 18:30 WIB. On paper, a win versus Japan looks implausible as Japan is ranked 17th in the latest FIFA Rankings, while Indonesia is at 146th.
 
Indonesia opened with the attacking play Coach Shin Tae-Yong had promised before. Within the first minute, Indonesian striker Rafael Struick broke through Vietnam's defense and shot from the penalty spot, unfortunately, his shot was blocked.
 
In the opening 30 minutes of the match, Indonesia's tight marking of Vietnam's midfield was effective in shutting down any offensive chances from The Golden Star Warriors. The Garuda Squad were often successful in maintaining possession and creating goal-scoring opportunities. Sadly the crucial finish was often missing from these plays with Sandy Walsh missing shots from the penalty box in the 36th and 37th minute.
 
In the 39th minute, Vietnam defender Nguyen Thanh Binh resorted to pulling Rafael Struick's shirt as he ventured into Vietnam's penalty area, causing him to fall. The referee promptly issued a yellow card to Nguyen, granting Indonesia a penalty. Captain Asnawi Mangkualam confidently stepped forward to take the penalty, delivering a precise shot into the top left corner of Vietnam's goal. This successful conversion left Indonesia leading 1-0 as the teams headed into halftime.

Both Indonesia and Vietnam played an attacking, highly physical style of football. Tensions were rising nearing the end of the first half with no goal from either team. 
 
Vietnam looked more determined and threatening at the opening of the second half. Indonesia seemed more concerned with defending their first goal than maintaining the high-press midfield they displayed in the first half. This drop in attack allowed Vietnam to deliver promising assists to Indonesia's penalty area.  
 
In the 66th minute, Garuda centre-back Jordi Amat was taken off on a stretcher after being elbowed by a Vietnam player. Striker Hokky Caraka comes on to rebuild Indonesia's attacking presence which has been diminished in the second half. While Caraka has good positioning, the 19-year-old is unable to secure a decent shot on goal, missing shots from the penalty area in the 71st, 81st, and 84th minute. 
 
While Vietnam seemed to dominate the second half in terms of possession, they also struggled to find a finish. In the 90+10th minute, The Golden Star Warriors were granted a free kick, and while it was beautifully administered by right-back Vu Van Thanh it was spectacularly saved by Ernando Ari, allowing the Garuda Squad to maintain their clean sheet. 
 
At the final whistle, the Garuda Squad defeated Vietnam 1-0.

Coach Shin lauded the performance of Asnawi, who exhibited confidence in leading Indonesia to a 1-0 triumph over Vietnam.

"I believe Asnawi was more confident, despite not scoring before the game. He felt good and had excellent ball control. Fortunately, Asnawi executed the penalty kick correctly, securing the victory for us," said Shin Tae-yong at the post-match conference on Friday.

Coach Shin acknowledged the element of luck that played a role in Indonesia's win. "In a well-contested match, both teams gave their best. We won with a bit of luck," added Shin Tae-yong. 

After years of not qualifying for the Asian Cup, this is a result that has brought joy to football fans across Indonesia.

"I am so proud of them," said Hadi, a fan who watched the game live in Bandung, "they are very young and this is a challenging competition...I am excited to watch them play against Japan". 

The 2023 Asian Cup began on Jan. 12 and will conclude on Feb. 10, 2024. Indonesia is placed in Group D alongside Iraq, Japan, and Vietnam. Indonesia will play their final group stage match scheduled against Japan on Jan. 24.
 

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