We need more than that.

VHO - Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team achieved their goal of securing 3 points in the crucial match of the fifth round of Group F in the final qualifying round for the 2027 Asian Cup against Laos. Besides the joy of victory, the "Golden Star Warriors" still haven't been able to reassure their fans with their performance over the 90 minutes of the match.

The Vietnamese national team needs to continue improving if they hope to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup finals. Photo: HAI HOANG

  Xuan Son returns

On a positive note, the 2-0 victory against Laos temporarily keeps Vietnam in contention for a spot in the 2027 Asian Cup. After 5 matches, Vietnam (12 points) is still 3 points behind Malaysia, and the two teams will face off in March next year to determine the single qualifying spot in the group. This victory provides a significant morale boost for the "Golden Star Warriors," as they will play the return match at home and their sole objective is to secure 3 points against Malaysia, ideally a resounding victory.

A notable highlight of this victory was the return of Nguyen Xuan Son, a player who had been highly anticipated but had struggled with injuries for a long time. Xuan Son's penalty goal in the 68th minute not only opened the scoring but also rekindled hope and brought a sense of relief to those who love the national team; it was a moment when people saw a sharp and dedicated striker again.

Returning after nearly 11 months, Xuan Son, although not yet fully recovered his form and feel, made a significant contribution to the team's gameplay. His presence drew the attention of the Laotian defenders, creating space for Tuan Hai and Hai Long on the flanks. Xuan Son continued to demonstrate his excellent positioning and hold-up play. The 1997-born striker was instrumental in Tuan Hai's shot hitting the crossbar at the beginning of the second half. Xuan Son also provided the pass for Tuan Hai to break down the left wing and earn a penalty for the team.

Xuan Son's return is not only valuable from a professional standpoint, but also positively impacts the team's morale. With the team's attack often lacking solutions, the timely appearance of a player capable of creating breakthroughs like Xuan Son is crucial. His goal against Laos confirms that he still possesses his goal-scoring instinct, something the team desperately needs in the fierce competition ahead.

There are still many moments of silence.

But behind that seemingly perfect result, it's not difficult to recognize the underlying concerns in the Vietnamese team's performance. The team's display still left many moments of reflection. Facing a team considered weaker, the Vietnamese team still struggled to implement their playing style and attack effectively. Coach Kim Sang-sik's players dominated possession for the first 60 minutes but were completely ineffective. When they created clear scoring opportunities, players like Tien Linh, Hoang Duc, and Tuan Hai failed to capitalize.

Lack of coordination, disjointed connections between lines, and inconsistent tempo hampered the Vietnamese team. Despite having more possession, the Vietnamese team lacked incisive attacking situations, proactive efforts to stretch the opponent's defense, and especially decisive finishing.

The midfield, a crucial area for creating breakthroughs, lacked the necessary fluidity. Both Quang Hai and Hoang Duc performed poorly, Thanh Long didn't make much of an impact in the first half, while Hai Long, who came on as a substitute at the start of the second half, failed to make an impression before being substituted after about 30 minutes. On numerous occasions, players made inaccurate passes or were slow to react, allowing the opponent to retreat into mass defense and disrupt attacking moves.

This not only put the team in a difficult position but also exposed an old problem: a lack of cohesion in their overall operation. “I wanted to try a new formation to enhance the attack and speed up ball circulation, so I used Quang Hai and Hoang Duc simultaneously. However, the performance didn't meet expectations. There's still a gap between analysis and actual match performance, and the team needs more time to improve,” coach Kim Sang-sik admitted after the match.

Clearly, the victory against Laos was a necessary result, but not enough to reassure the fans. The Vietnamese team needs more than that if they want to compete fairly in the group and maintain hope of participating in the 2027 Asian Cup finals. Xuan Son's return is a bright spot, but one individual cannot carry all the expectations. What the team needs now is to improve cohesion, enhance attacking organization, and especially overcome the deadlock they face when playing against opponents with a dense defensive formation.

Ahead lies the toughest match of the journey against Malaysia, and coach Kim Sang-sik and his team need to turn the lessons learned from the victory against Laos into motivation for a more significant change. Today's win was necessary, but only improvement and progress can keep their hopes of participating in the biggest football tournament in Asia alive.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/can-nhieu-hon-the-182884.html