Vietnam vs Nepal: Win first, think later

It will not be difficult for the Vietnamese team to defeat Nepal in the third match of Group F of the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup, taking place at 7:30 p.m. today (October 9, FPT Play THTT) at Go Dau Stadium.

Will coach Kim Sang Sik give Hieu Minh (middle) a chance in defense? - Photo: ANH KHOA

If Malaysia is penalized with a 0-3 loss due to cheating on naturalized players, Vietnam will have a great chance of qualifying for the 2027 Asian Cup finals. But before waiting for the decision from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC), Vietnam needs to win against Nepal.

Valuable training opportunity

Nepal is ranked 176th in the world , 62 places lower than the Vietnamese team. Nepal's squad has 12 players playing abroad, but in reality, it does not help them become stronger. Because the countries where Nepal players play also have modest football skills. For example, Bangladesh (where 8 Nepal players play) is ranked 184th in the world. Therefore, in the second match, Nepal lost 1-2 to Laos.

With Nepal's strength like that, this is an ideal match for coach Kim Sang Sik to give the U23 players a chance, and at the same time test tactics for the future. In the context of Thanh Chung's absence and Duc Chien's poor physical condition, Hieu Minh is likely to start in the sweeper position. Similarly, Nhat Minh can replace Bui Tien Dung as the left-sided center-back. The remaining player in the right-sided center-back position will be Duy Manh, to support his junior.

Not only the defense, the midfield and the attack are also where coach Kim Sang Sik will make the most of the match against Nepal to test personnel and tactics. Newcomer Xuan Bac can start alongside Hoang Duc in the middle of the field as a new option for the future. Even the excellent passer of the U23 Vietnam team Nguyen Phi Hoang can also start in the left midfield position, although this position is very strong with defender Cao Pendant Quang Vinh or Van Vi.

It is easy to see that the Vietnamese team will create a one-sided game against Nepal. And the opponent will "shrink" to defend to find the most favorable result. The important thing is how the Vietnamese team will "unlock" the opponent's dense defense to score. It can be said that this is a good opportunity to practice the attacking ability of the students.

Coach Kim Sang Sik aims to win 2 matches against Nepal - Photo: QUANG THINH

Multiple goals

Winning is the ultimate goal of the Vietnamese team. Therefore, although giving opportunities to young players to prepare for the 33rd SEA Games later this year, Coach Kim Sang Sik also needs the brilliance of the pillars. Especially players who have not been in good form recently such as Tien Linh or Pham Tuan Hai.

Tien Linh failed to score in the friendly win against Cambodia 2-1 and the 5-0 win over Laos in the opening match of the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup at Go Dau Stadium. He was also lackluster in the subsequent 0-4 loss to Malaysia. And now facing a weak opponent like Nepal is an opportunity for Tien Linh to "shoot" again.

Scoring against Nepal not only helped Tien Linh regain his confidence but also conquer another milestone: surpassing former striker Le Huynh Duc to become the second best scorer in the history of the Vietnamese team. Currently, Tien Linh has 25 goals after 62 matches, only 2 goals behind his senior. The leader is still former striker Le Cong Vinh with 51 goals after 83 matches. That motivation promises to make Tien Linh play better and score goals.

Tien Linh’s ability to score headers will be further supported in the match against Nepal if Phi Hoang plays. The precise passes from the left wing of this U23 player promise to open up more attacking opportunities not only for Tien Linh but also for other strikers. Especially for the new player Pham Gia Hung - a striker who also excels at playing as a striker like Tien Linh.

After the 5-goal party against Laos, Go Dau Stadium promises another resounding victory against Nepal, although coach Matt Ross and his team are determined to get points in the two matches in Vietnam to bring joy to the Nepalese people back home.

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NGUYEN KHOI

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/viet-nam-dau-nepal-thang-truoc-roi-tinh-sau-20251009101543794.htm