Take advantage of home field advantage

VHO - Playing both 2027 Asian Cup qualifying matches against Nepal at home in October not only brings a great advantage in spirit and cheering from the audience, but also sets strict requirements on professional preparation, player selection strategy and competition mentality.

In the context of increasingly tense competition in Group F, each step of the team's preparation has become the focus of attention of experts and fans.

Pressure from the audience

According to the schedule announced by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), the Vietnamese team is in Group F with Malaysia, Nepal and Laos. After two opening matches, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team have 3 points after beating Laos 5-0 and losing to Malaysia 0-4. This result forces the Vietnamese team to make the most of the opportunity in the October matches to keep their hopes of winning the top spot in the group, thereby winning a direct ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup finals.

The match schedule brings a special advantage when both matches against Nepal (October 9 at Binh Duong Stadium and October 14 at Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City) take place on Vietnamese territory, after Nepal, due to domestic instability, proposed to choose Thong Nhat as the "home field" for the return leg. This is a rare "gift" in the qualifying round, helping the team reduce travel pressure, have more time to concentrate and maintain stable performance.

However, home field advantage also means a lot of pressure. Full stands and high expectations from millions of fans will create strong motivation, but can also become psychological pressure for young players or new faces wearing the national team jersey for the first time. Vietnamese football history has witnessed matches where high expectations have become a burden, affecting the playing style and results. Therefore, the task of the coaching staff is to take advantage of the enthusiastic cheering and control the psychology so that the players can stay alert and confident when entering the match.

Measure of courage

Coach Kim Sang-sik is facing the problem of balancing between maintaining an experienced squad and giving opportunities to young faces, especially players who are in good form in the V.League. The defeat against Malaysia shows that the defense needs to be more solid, while the attack must regain its sharpness to convert opportunities into goals. Therefore, it is likely that the upcoming training list will have a mix, with pillars such as Quang Hai, Hoang Duc, Tien Linh... combined with outstanding young factors from rising clubs.

A notable point is the growing role of overseas Vietnamese players. Many faces with a background in developed football are being reviewed by the VFF to supplement the team, increase the depth of the squad and create internal competition. This is a trend that many football countries in the region have successfully applied.

Taking advantage of the home field advantage is not only about the support from the audience, but also about adapting well to the familiar pitch, climate and training conditions. Choosing Binh Duong and Thong Nhat (the football fields that regularly host international matches) will help the team feel secure about the quality of the grass, lighting system, security and organization.

The coaching staff's strategy needs to revolve around controlling the game, preempting the opponent with a fast-paced attacking style, while maintaining a solid defense to avoid falling into a counter-attack trap. Nepal may not be a big opponent in the region, but complacency will bring risks. It is in matches like these that mettle and concentration are truly tested.

To prepare for these two matches, the Vietnamese team had a meeting in September, and also had a practice match with the current V.League champion, Nam Dinh Steel Blue, and the current National Cup champion, Hanoi Police. The first match with Nam Dinh Steel Blue was a valuable test when the opponent used a squad of 11 foreign players.

The Vietnamese team lost 0-4, an unsurprising result given the superiority of the team from Thanh Nam in terms of physique, fitness and experience. In the second practice match against Hanoi Police, the Vietnamese team won 4-3 thanks to goals from Tien Linh, Tuan Hai, Viet Hung and Van Vi. Like the previous match, coach Dinh Hong Vinh continued to divide the force into two teams to check the personnel and playing style.

The most important thing in the two practice matches is not the result of winning or losing, but the assessment of the performance of the pillars, the integration level of the new players, as well as testing the tactical options, thereby completing the preparation for the final qualifying round of the Asian Cup 2027. According to the plan, the Vietnamese team will gather again during the FIFA Days in October, playing two matches with the Nepal team in the final qualifying round of the Asian Cup 2027.

The 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers are not only a battle for a ticket to the next round, but also a measure of the mettle and maturity of the Vietnamese team in a period of transition. The home field advantage in both matches against Nepal is a golden opportunity for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team to break through.

However, to turn the advantage into results, the team needs careful preparation from the selection strategy, training plan to controlling the competition mentality. The chance to surpass Malaysia to rise to the top of the table is not too much, but in any situation, the red-shirted warriors need to make maximum effort to move forward.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/tan-dung-loi-the-san-nha-168714.html