Coach Kim Sang-sik's key to victory over Malaysia, waiting for the Vietnamese team to report good news

In the context that the Vietnamese team (ranked 109th in the world) is weakened compared to the AFF Cup 2024 and the opponent Malaysia (ranked 131st in the world) is getting stronger every day, what will coach Kim Sang-sik do to help the 'Golden Star Warriors' win all 3 points in the second match of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers tonight?

FULLNESS FROM DEFENSE

Many fans are worried when the serious injuries of Xuan Son, Vi Hao and most recently Cong Phuong make the Vietnamese team's attack line fragile. In defense, Viet Anh and Thanh Binh also left the "headquarters" of the Vietnamese team early due to injury. However, coach Kim Sang-sik still has Duy Manh, Thanh Chung, Xuan Manh and Tien Dung, the player who played very well in the journey to win the AFF Cup 2024 championship. On the right wing, Van Thanh and Tan Tai are absent but Tien Anh is playing well. On the opposite wing, Van Vi maintains his explosive performance with very stable form. Overseas Vietnamese defender Cao Pendant Quang Vinh is also waiting to shine. Goalkeeper Nguyen Filip competes with Dinh Trieu. It can be said that the Vietnamese team's defense still ensures very high quality to become a support for the whole team, aiming to win all 3 points right at the "fire pan" Bukit Jalil.

Hoang Duc (14) and the Vietnamese team want to leave Bukit Jalil Stadium with great joy.

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

Veteran commentator Ngo Quang Tung shared with Thanh Nien Newspaper: "Previously, we were worried a lot about the left-back position. Because although Van Vi always played well and exploded in attack, he could not ensure defense. Now, we have Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, so we will achieve balance and certainty. This is an important addition because in the fierce confrontation on June 10, the Vietnamese team needs to focus more on defense. In the goalkeeper position, Nguyen Filip is regaining his form, so he will create peace of mind."

Malaysia-Vietnam: Challenges from the 'fire pan' Bukit Jalil and the storm of injuries

HOW TO APPROACH THE MATCH?

Commentator Ngo Quang Tung analyzed: "The Malaysian team is in good spirits under the new coach and many naturalized players as well as quality "Ma Kieu". Vietnam is at a disadvantage because there is not much information about the opponent. Those are the reasons why safety needs to be pushed to the highest level. Coach Kim Sang-sik also has the strength of building a defensive, counter-attacking style of play rather than controlling and imposing. The Vietnamese team will most likely have to play solidly and wait for opportunities".

The Vietnamese team is better than its opponents in terms of cohesion and unity.

At this time, the two central midfielders also play an important role, needing to do a good job of supporting defense from a distance and circulating the ball well to change the speed from defense to attack. Commentator Quang Tung commented: "Minh Khoa is the option that should be used. He is the leading central midfielder of Vietnamese football at the moment. Many people are worried about Minh Khoa's lack of experience, but that is not too big of a problem, Khoa has performed well in recent matches against the Cambodian and Lao teams. To maintain a good game, the Vietnamese team should arrange the midfielder pair Hoang Duc - Minh Khoa. The option of Duc Chien playing as an anchor midfielder is still 50-50. In fact, at the club, Chien often takes care of the anchor position, but to say that he plays very well in this role is not certain. Chien is still better as a center back. Coach Kim Sang-sik can also use the Duc Chien - Minh Khoa pair in case Hoang Duc is pushed up to play as a false 9 when Tien Linh is trying to recover".

Coach Kim Sang-sik has a plan to play Malaysia

On the attack, commentator Quang Tung assessed that the Vietnamese team is not as strong as when Xuan Son was in the squad, but he also believes that coach Kim Sang-sik will find other options, like before Xuan Son was naturalized. For example, the task of scoring goals can be expected from Hai Long, a "detonator" who is in good form; or even Quang Hai, the type of player who always knows how to speak up in important matches.

In the context of a shortage of personnel in the attack, the Vietnamese team needs to play with a disciplined structure, prioritizing stability in defense and transition. A defensive system of 3 central defenders combined with 2 mobile central midfielders like Hoang Duc and Minh Khoa can help control space, limiting the gaps for opponents to exploit. Effectiveness in counter-attacking and making good use of set pieces will be the key for coach Kim Sang-sik to realize the goal of 3 points at Bukit Jalil.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chia-khoa-chien-thang-malaysia-cua-thay-kim-sang-sik-cho-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-bao-tin-vui-185250609231456488.htm