U23 Vietnam entered the final match with an all-win record from the group stage. After a goalless 120 minutes, the match had to be decided on penalties, with keeper Quan Van Chuan proving to be the hero saving a penalty from Ernando Ari.
In a recent article, Thailand’s Siam Sport newspaper said that U23 Vietnam has proved its top position in Southeast Asia when successfully defending the championship title after defeating U23 Indonesia with a score of 6-5 on penalties.
CNN Indonesia version expressed regret when Indonesia's U23 team became the runner-up of this year's tournament.
According to the news, coach Shin Tae-yong's team played defensively and pulled Vietnam U23 into penalties.
Meanwhile, Indonesia’s Republika online newspaper quoted Indonesian Football Federation President Erick Thohir's encouragement as saying that the Indonesian squad overcame difficulties and played bravely in this tournament.
Erick said that although the results were below Indonesian fans’ expectations but he believed this championship would provide motivation and mentality for the players to get even better.
