A major shock at My Dinh Stadium?

A VERY STRONG WEST ASIAN TEAM

Iraq's 5-1 victory over Indonesia was a resounding statement of their strength in Group F of the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. Beyond the scoreline, the West Asian representatives were superior to their opponents in every aspect: physique, strength, speed, and the ability to dictate the game. The Iraqi players won in one-on-one challenges, controlled possession well, and deployed a highly diverse attacking style. Their five goals and numerous chances came from a wide variety of approaches to the goal.

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Vietnamese fans are hoping that Van Toan will continue to shine.

It could be the central attacking play, like the skillful turn and finish of striker Bashar Rasan in the opening goal. Or the continuous attacks down the left flank with quality crosses that caused Jordi Amat to awkwardly score an own goal. The midfielders' ability to create pressure in the midfield and their long-range shots were also impressive. The crucial goal that put Iraq ahead 3-1 was a beautiful strike by Osama Rashid. Furthermore, Iraq's attacking prowess was demonstrated in their fluid passing, speed, and technique to get the ball to the byline and back for a goal. For example, Youssef Amyn scored Iraq's fourth goal, or Ali Al Hamadi weaved past both the Indonesian defense and goalkeeper to seal the 5-1 victory. This truly highlighted the difference in skill between Iraq and Indonesia. The West Asian team is maintaining excellent and consistent form, continuing their five-match unbeaten streak. And looking even further back, in their last 12 matches, Iraq have only lost 2. Those were unfortunate defeats against Colombia and Russia in friendly matches in March and May 2023.

A DIFFICULT PROBLEM, BUT IT STILL HAS A SOLUTION

Watching Indonesia play an attacking game and suffer a crushing defeat against Iraq, Coach Troussier probably already understood the strength of the opponent, as well as the pressure the Vietnamese team would face. It won't be a relaxed and comfortable match like the 2-0 victory against the Philippines, but rather a game where Van Lam and his teammates will have to fight hard at every moment and in every position on the field.

Even playing at home, every square meter of the My Dinh Stadium pitch will likely feel cramped and difficult under the pressure of the opponent. Coach Troussier's players must even imagine facing similar difficulties to what they experienced in the friendly matches against South Korea and Uzbekistan in October. This means they will struggle to control the ball in their own half against the high-pressure pressing of their opponents. The Iraqi players are all very strong, agile, and play with high determination and a serious adherence to tactics. This means Tuan Tai, Minh Trong, Viet Anh, and Van Thanh need to minimize individual mistakes, especially in their own half, if they want to avoid conceding an early goal.

Troussier will use these players in the match against Iraq.

In last month's friendly matches, the Vietnamese team conceded quite a few goals due to misplaced passes from the defenders. Furthermore, the team's formation and defensive block need to be tightened, with better coordination and cohesion. In the match against South Korea, the gaps between our central defenders and midfielders were exploited to the fullest by Son Heung-min. This time, Iraq doesn't have world- class stars, but their attack is diverse and powerful, boasting a squad of players currently playing impressively in Europe and top West Asian clubs. Importantly, Iraq plays at a fast pace and with varied tactics, making it difficult for us to anticipate their moves and devise specific, clear strategies. Everything depends on the flexibility and practical skills of our players. What worries us is that Troussier's players are still in the process of perfecting their ball-possession style of play, and are still very weak in the transition phase and in proactive defending against opponent pressure.

Coach Troussier at the training session on the evening of November 20th at My Dinh Stadium.

Van Lam will face many difficulties when confronting the Iraqi team.

We still have five matches left. These include two-legged ties against Iraq and Indonesia. Strategically, the direct confrontation with Indonesia will be decisive, but sometimes the crucial factor for progressing is points, or even goal difference, in the matches against Iraq. Therefore, the home game against Iraq, while not a decisive battle, is an important step on the long road towards the World Cup. To be fair, we don't have many chances against our opponent. In the past, we've lost three and drawn one. But now, Vietnamese football has turned a new page with a different coach. Hopefully, these new and different approaches will bring results. Another interesting aspect is that the match between us and Iraq will show the gap between us and our opponent, between Vietnam and the top teams in Asia. Let's see if the World Cup dream is achievable or still too far away…

The main stone of the North Temple , Van Quyet , is not allowed to register .

Vietnam's expected lineup against Iraq: Dang Van Lam, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Vu Van Thanh, Nguyen Thanh Binh, Phan Tuan Tai, Vo Minh Trong, Nguyen Thai Son, Nguyen Tuan Anh (captain), Nguyen Dinh Bac, Pham Tuan Hai, Nguyen Van Toan.

Meanwhile, Hoang Duc, Van Quyet, Van Tung, Van Toan, and Van Cuong were not registered.

Nhat Duy

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