RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia is aiming to keep control of Group A in the 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup (AFF Cup) with captain Rizky Ridho urging his teammates to stay composed and ignore any provocation from Vietnam in their pivotal clash.

The Group A fixture will take place at Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, West Java, on August 3 at 8:30 p.m. Jakarta time.

Ridho, who has faced Vietnam several times in both the AFF Cup and FIFA World Cup qualifiers, acknowledged that previous meetings between the two teams were often marked by heated exchanges.

However, the Persija Jakarta defender stressed that Indonesia's priority is to follow head coach John Herdman's tactical instructions rather than respond to any attempts to disrupt their concentration.

"We have to focus only on the match, on our own team, and play according to the plan prepared by the coach," Ridho said during the pre-match press conference on Sunday, August 2, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

He also believes the use of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system will encourage both teams to be more disciplined and reduce unnecessary incidents on the field. "They will be careful, just like we will," he said.

Ridho added that he has shared his experience of facing Vietnam with younger teammates, reminding them that discipline and commitment to the team's game plan will be key to securing a semifinal place.

Head coach John Herdman echoed the captain's message, saying the team's leadership group has discussed how to remain composed if emotions rise during the high-intensity encounter.

"For us, it's about returning to ourselves. Always return to our identity, stay focused on the task at hand," Herdman said. ***