The strange appearance of U22 Vietnam

U22 Vietnam also actively pressed at mid-range and high-range, causing the opponent to make mistakes.

The 1-0 victory of U22 Vietnam over host U22 China in the opening match of CFA Team China - Panda Cup 2025 on the evening of November 12 showed the maturity in tactical thinking and competitive spirit of young Vietnamese players.

At the U23 International Four-Nation Friendly Tournament held in Jiangsu, China in March 2025, coach Dinh Hong Vinh's team almost won against the home team to win the championship. In the final round, U22 Vietnam completely dominated and overwhelmed U23 China, scoring the opening goal thanks to midfielder Viktor Le. However, referee Dai Yige made many decisions in favor of U23 China, indirectly helping the home team hold U23 Vietnam to a 1-1 draw to win the tournament.

Therefore, the victory of U22 Vietnam over U22 China at CFA Team China - Panda Cup 2025 was not "lucky", but the result of the art of proactive defense - counterattack, which coach Dinh Hong Vinh has been diligently training over the past time. Being at a disadvantage compared to the opponent in many aspects, U22 Vietnam proactively played defense - counterattack. The young Vietnamese players accepted to give up the game and ball control to U22 China - always wanting to show their superiority. When they had stretched the distance of U22 China's formation, U22 Vietnam switched to lightning counterattack, creating many surprises.

U22 Vietnam shows progress at CFA Team China - Panda Cup 2025. Photo: VFF

U22 Vietnam also actively pressed at mid-range and high-range, causing the opponent to make mistakes. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh said that "the ability to apply high-range pressure" is the key to opening up the attacking direction for U22 Vietnam. His students continuously put pressure to break up the attack organization of U22 China, forcing the opponent to use long passes, leading to wrong "addresses". When the opponent is eager to raise the formation, the defense will reveal gaps, creating gaps in front of the 16m50 area. U22 Vietnam will seize these opportunities to score.

The goal in the 81st minute of U22 Vietnam showed that. From the left wing, Le Van Thuan accelerated and sent a cross across the goal. Already tired from the attacks and defenses during the 80 minutes of play, the U22 China defender made a mistake in clearing the ball, allowing Pham Minh Phuc to be there at the right time to finish the ball into the roof of the net.

Compared to the two most recent confrontations with U22 China (lost 1-2 and drew 1-1), coach Dinh Hong Vinh affirmed that the difference is in the players' mindset and initiative. "Previously, we were often caught up in the opponent's rhythm. Now, U22 Vietnam proactively presses, maintains the team's distance, and knows how to control the game with reasonable ball distribution" - he analyzed.

The result of a friendly tournament does not reflect the level and class of the team, but a victory against a strong team will help build confidence for U22 Vietnam. Coach Dinh Hong Vinh and his team need motivation to move towards the goal of changing the color of the medal at the 33rd SEA Games.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/dien-mao-khac-la-cua-u22-viet-nam-196251113213858634.htm