Hot spots that will decide the final match between Thailand and Vietnam

The playing styles of both Vietnam and Thailand were exposed in the first leg of the final, making the second leg even more unpredictable.

Difficult to get in the game early In the first leg, the Vietnamese team entered the game proactively, but only maintained pressure for the first 10 minutes. The connection between the lines was not as expected and the only way to contact Xuan Son was through long passes. The satellites around Xuan Son were not sharp enough to create continuous opportunities. Although Thailand did not create as many dangerous situations as Vietnam, they had a clear strategy. The uniformity in quality of the players made them coordinate smoothly and cover each other effectively. At home at Viet Tri, coach Kim Sang-sik wanted to get in the game early. Wanting to surprise the opponent in that way on the away field is even more difficult. Therefore, the Vietnamese team needed to approach the match with careful preparation both mentally and tactically to avoid being overwhelmed in front of more than 40,000 spectators at Rajamangala Stadium.

Vietnam team finds it difficult to take the lead against Thailand on away field. Photo: Minh Dan

Support plan for Xuan Son In the first leg, Thailand tried to stop Xuan Son, they assigned central defender Pansa Hemviboon to follow him closely. But the double in the second half showed how good the 1997-born striker's ability to press and escape from being marked is. Every time he moved up, Xuan Son attracted defenders, partly opening up space on both sides. In the second leg, the War Elephants will certainly find a way to closely follow Xuan Son. In case he is blocked, the Vietnamese team will need other options to attack. Letting Tien Linh play alongside Xuan Son is also an idea that should be considered.

Nguyen Xuan Son has scored 7 goals at ASEAN Cup 2024 after only 4 appearances. Photo: Minh Dan

In previous matches, Tien Linh often only entered the field in the second half. When the opposing team's defense was too concerned about Xuan Son, Tien Linh would have more space to show off. In the first leg, the striker from Binh Duong only entered the field in the extra minutes, so he could completely start the second leg with full fitness. Although Xuan Son's ability to fight independently is known to be superior, he still needs support and connection from the surrounding midfielders. The battle between Hoang Duc and Doan Ngoc Tan was arranged to play as a pair in midfield in the first leg. When Hoang Duc went up to support the attack, Ngoc Tan played a covering role behind. According to statistics from Sofascore, he had 13 successful challenges, the highest on the field. Hoang Duc started to play better from the semi-final match to Singapore and continued to maintain this form against Thailand. On the contrary, the War Elephants' midfield trio of William Weidersjo, Akarapong Pumwisat and Benjamin Davis did not play well, losing the ball often.

Doan Ngoc Tan and Hoang Duc coordinate well in the central midfield position. Photo: Minh Dan

In the return match, coach Masatada Ishii can let Weerathep Pomphan and captain Peeradon Chamratsamee return to the squad. Benjamin Davis can keep his position, as he performed very impressively in the previous match. His sharp attacking thinking and ability to hold the ball make the 2000-born star a formidable explosive force for the War Elephants. The young midfielder of English origin was also the one who ran the most in the first leg (11.2km), moving continuously to support his teammates in both defense and attack. This will be the name that the Vietnamese team needs to pay attention to in the return match.

Laodong.vn

Source: https://laodong.vn/bong-da/nhung-diem-nong-dinh-doat-tran-chung-ket-thai-lan-viet-nam-1445433.ldo