The Vietnamese team just had a smooth start at the AFF Cup 2024 (new name is ASEAN Cup) with a 4-1 victory over Laos on the evening of December 9. The Indonesian team also had a minimal victory over Myanmar in the opening match on the same day.
In the next round, the Vietnamese team will meet Indonesia on December 15. But for the Indonesian team, they will have to play Laos on December 12, before entering the big match with the Vietnamese team.
According to CNN Indonesia, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will have two advantages over the home team. Vietnam will have more time off because the remaining match of Group B will be between the Philippines and Myanmar.
"First, Vietnam will have 5 full days to rest, practice and prepare, while the team from the archipelago country will only have 2 days.
Second, Vietnam will play at home against Indonesia. This means they will be able to rest comfortably without having to travel far. Indonesia, on the other hand, will have to go through a long and tiring flight," CNN wrote.
Indonesia has a pretty tight schedule, as they have just returned from Yangon (Myanmar) to host Laos at Manahan Stadium, then continue flying to Hanoi to play against Vietnam. So the Vietnamese team will also have a bit of an advantage with a longer rest period, which is good for physical recovery.
At the moment, coach Kim Sang-sik's team is temporarily leading Group B with the same 3 points as Indonesia but with a better goal difference. Following them are the Philippines, Myanmar and Laos.
