The situation in Group B of the men's football at the 33rd SEA Games is pushing U22 Vietnam into a true "life or death" situation. After the first round of matches, coach Kim Sang Sik and his team have 3 points and a goal difference of +1, equal to Malaysia in points but ranked behind due to a lower goal difference.

Meanwhile, U22 Laos has run out of chances with 0 points after two matches, making the race for tickets to continue only revolve around U22 Vietnam and U22 Malaysia.

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U22 Vietnam (white shirt) must defeat U22 Malaysia to decide their own fate - Photo: TP

The format of the tournament makes the pressure even greater: three groups but only the group winners and the best runners-up qualify for the semi-finals. This means that U22 Vietnam not only have to aim for group winners but also have to ensure that their points and goal difference are competitive enough if they fall to second place.

The match on December 11 is therefore considered the real “final” of Group B. U22 Vietnam is forced to play with maximum concentration, especially against Malaysia - a team that scored 4 goals in the opening match and showed diverse attacking ability.

A draw can still help coach Kim Sang Sik and his team keep hope alive, but only a victory will open the door to the semi-finals and avoid depending on comparing achievements with the remaining groups.

In the context of great pressure but strong motivation, U22 Vietnam still has the right to believe in a semi-final ticket if they take advantage of the opportunity in this life-or-death match.

Highlights U22 Vietnam 2-1 U22 Laos:

Watch SEA Games 33, side by side with the Vietnamese Sports Delegation, most fully onFPT Play, at: http://fptplay.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/de-vao-ban-ket-sea-games-u22-viet-nam-phai-lam-1-dieu-truoc-malaysia-2470147.html