Vietnam team changes 'new clothes': Play really well to advance straight to Asian Cup

The Vietnamese team promises to show a more dynamic and effective playing style in the rematch against Nepal, taking place at 7:30 p.m. tomorrow (October 14).

Vietnam team needs to change

The 3-1 victory over Nepal (third match of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers) of the Vietnamese team is a necessary but not sufficient achievement.

It is necessary to say that, although the Vietnamese team is not playing well, still has many sloppy defenses and deadlocked attacks, they still know how to take all 3 points.

The Vietnam team needs to play better.

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

Under coach Kim Sang-sik, the Vietnamese team has won 9 of the last 11 official matches. Mr. Kim's students do not play well in every match, but they always find victory. The formation of a winning instinct needs to be built from "small" matches, where the Vietnamese team is on the right track.

However, that is not enough, because the Vietnamese team was not built just to compete with opponents like Laos, Nepal or Malaysia. After winning the AFF Cup 2024, the goal of Kim Sang-sik and his team is to return to the "big sea" of Asia. Just like the story of the carp jumping over the dragon gate to become a dragon, the Vietnamese team needs to overcome its limits to transform itself.

The distance from Southeast Asia to Asia is still very far, where Thailand and Indonesia have tried and... failed. And the Vietnamese team in the golden period under coach Park Hang-seo (2018-2022) only touched it a few times, and achieved temporary success.

Coach Kim Sang-sik's team needs a breakthrough in both strength and playing style to shed the old coat and advance to a new level.

The transition is taking place quietly, with 8 U.23 Vietnam players appearing in the national team. The playing philosophy has also changed, prioritizing proactive attack, pressing and opening up free, harmonious space for creative players.

The Vietnamese team needs to be more flexible and supple.

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

However, with a team that is used to the defensive counter-attacking style under coach Park Hang-seo, with a playing style that depends on foreign strikers at the club, as well as young players who are not yet "in sync" with their seniors, the Vietnamese team had a difficult match against Nepal (62 places lower), even when playing with an extra player.

Coach Kim Sang-sik frankly pointed out his students' shortcomings, such as not knowing how to seize opportunities, lack of concentration... but above all, the Korean strategist clearly understood: all bumps and sluggishness are unavoidable for any team in the transition period.

Mr. Kim himself has just had his seventh training session, after more than a year in charge of the Vietnamese team. It is difficult to ask the Korean strategist to create a tactical breakthrough with a total training time of only about 3 months, when the football foundation is not yet solid.

Mr. Kim can only adjust every detail so that the Vietnamese team can improve with each match. And the two matches against Nepal will unintentionally bring about a comparison: against the same opponent, can Mr. Kim's students play better in the next match than the previous one?

Improved gameplay

In the victory over Nepal, coach Kim Sang-sik's tactical change in the second half (when the opponent was down) made a difference. He switched from a 3-4-3 formation to a 4-2-4 formation. Immediately, the Vietnamese team created many opportunities to score 2 more goals.

The 3-center-back formation has been with the team for the past 7 years, since Coach Park laid the foundation in 2018. However, when the strategy begins to show limitations in the ability to attack and impose the game, Coach Kim Sang-sik may change.

Will Nhat Minh (left) play alongside his senior Duy Manh in the main squad?

PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG

Some young faces will be given a chance against Nepal. In defense, one of the two goalkeepers Nguyen Van Viet (2002) or Tran Trung Kien (2003) is capable of starting instead of Dang Van Lam.

If central defender Bui Tien Dung does not recover from his back injury in time to return, young central defender Nguyen Hieu Minh or Nguyen Nhat Minh will most likely start. Both Hieu Minh and Nhat Minh have had 2 months of work and 7 matches under Mr. Kim (5 clean sheets) to understand Mr. Kim's philosophy.

To build a new foundation for the defense, young goalkeepers and center-backs need to be brave enough to put their trust in them and gradually integrate.

Up front, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Pham Gia Hung and Nguyen Dinh Bac can be trusted with more minutes than the previous match. The deadlock of the Vietnamese team's attack will be solved with new players who are more dynamic, strong and have better creativity.

The Vietnamese team needs to be patient in correcting mistakes to improve day by day. Higher mountains will appear in the coming years, such as the 2027 Asian Cup (if they win the ticket) or the 2030 World Cup qualifiers. Mr. Kim’s students must be ready to innovate, learn and change from today.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-tuyen-viet-nam-thay-ao-moi-da-that-hay-de-thang-tien-asian-cup-185251013104720373.htm