The defeat at the Pakansari stadium put Indonesia at risk of stopping in the group stage of the ASEAN Cup 2026. Fierce reactions focused on coach Herdman, who was said to have no suitable plan for Vietnam's playing style.
It will be hard to believe with such a strong squad quality, the Indonesian team will soon stop in the group stage of the ASEAN Cup", "Too disappointing. John Herdman and the Indonesian team are not ready for this match. While Mr. Kim Sang-sik and the Vietnamese team have shown more desire to win", some comments from fans of the Land of the Ten Thousand Islands.
Indonesian media also raised the issue of coach Herdman's ability to prepare and evaluate opponents. Images of the English coach sitting blankly on the coaching bench appeared in many post-match articles. Even a newspaper asked: "What are you thinking tonight, John (Herdman)?".
The pressure is even greater as Indonesia has a match against Singapore in the final round. This is a decisive match for Mr. Herdman and the Indonesian team. If they draw or lose, Indonesia will be eliminated from the group stage. That result could directly affect the future of the English coach.
Indonesian newspapers also recalled the case of coach Shin Tae-yong who was sacked after Indonesia stopped in the group stage of the ASEAN Cup 2024, although before that he helped the team beat Saudi Arabia 2-0 in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
In the opposite direction, Vietnam received many compliments. An Indonesian fan commented: "The Vietnamese team played extremely disciplined with a low defensive formation and sharp quick counter-attacks. Their playing style, at first glance, reminds me of Indonesia under Shin Tae-yong.
