Indonesian newspaper fears 3 U.23 Vietnam stars, but...

Indonesian media was cautious before the final match, pointing out three formidable players of U.23 Vietnam who could cause a breakthrough. However, at the same time, the newspaper of the archipelago country also pointed out the limitations of coach Kim Sang-sik and his team.

The "detonators" of U.23 Vietnam

Ahead of the final match of the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 Championship between U.23 Indonesia and U.23 Vietnam taking place at 8:00 p.m. on July 29, the media of the archipelago country has made detailed analysis of the strength of the away team. In particular, according to the assessment of Bola , U.23 Vietnam possesses 3 stars who can break the home team's defense system, and this is what worries Indonesian fans the most.

The first name mentioned is captain Khuat Van Khang. The player currently playing for Viettel The Cong Club is the conductor in the playing style of U.23 Vietnam. Although not outstanding in terms of goals, Van Khang is an important link in the attack, with the ability to escape pressing well and sharp tactical thinking. The Indonesian newspaper assessed that this is the person who can disrupt the midfield of the team organized by coach Gerald Vanenburg.

Dinh Bac is the main striker of U.23 Vietnam.

PHOTO: NGUYEN KHANG

The second explosive element is center back Nguyen Hieu Minh. The big surprise is that Hieu Minh is the one who scored 2 goals in the tournament, equal to the strikers. Possessing an impressive height and good aerial ability, Hieu Minh is always a threat in set pieces and participating in attacks. Bola warned that Indonesia must not lose people in high balls, or only focus on marking the strikers if they do not want to pay the price.

Finally, Nguyen Dinh Bac, a fast and skillful winger. He also has 2 goals in the tournament, and is the main striker of U.23 Vietnam. His tricky, daring playing style and intelligent movement help Dinh Bac often get past the opposing defenders to create dangerous situations.

Indonesian media is very cautious, saying that "these three names can completely shatter Indonesia's championship dream if not locked down".

But… lacks a true center forward

Besides analyzing the dangers, Bola also pointed out the limitations of U.23 Vietnam, which is the lack of a true striker, which could cause difficulties for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team if the match is prolonged or falls into a stalemate.

Hieu Minh (left) also has 2 goals.

PHOTO: NGUYEN KHANG

According to an Indonesian newspaper, although U.23 Vietnam has scored 7 goals in the tournament so far, there is no striker who really plays the role of "killer" in the penalty area. Of the 7 goals scored by the red team, 2 were scored by striker Dinh Bac, the rest were scored by defenders or midfielders. Bola wrote: "U.23 Vietnam does not possess the typical goal-scoring striker model that U.23 Indonesia has."

This also means that if U.23 Indonesia can organize a solid defense, they can minimize dangerous situations for their opponents. However, this newspaper also emphasizes that the diversity in scoring methods makes U.23 Vietnam unpredictable.

Accordingly, U.23 Vietnam entered the final with an undefeated record and a very tight and flexible playing system. Strength does not come from a specific individual, but from a cohesive team with reasonable tactics and high fighting spirit. Meanwhile, pressure is weighing heavily on U.23 Indonesia as they have to compete under huge expectations from home fans at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/bao-indonesia-e-ngai-3-ngoi-sao-u23-viet-nam-nhung-185250729115256253.htm