The Vietnamese futsal team won, but they still have concerns.

OVERHEATING AND SLOWING

In their first three matches at the 2024 Southeast Asian Futsal Championship, the Vietnamese futsal team won all three against Malaysia, Timor Leste, and Brunei with impressive statistics: scoring 20 goals and conceding only 1. Their match against Thailand at 6 PM today (November 6th) is simply a battle for the top spot. Coach Diego Giustozzi's players have had a perfect run-up to the semi-finals. In terms of performance, it's difficult to demand more from a team undergoing a transition, no longer at its peak like when they qualified for the World Cup twice (2016 and 2021). However, the Vietnamese futsal team's playing style still has some "blemishes." The two victories against Timor Leste (4-1) and Brunei (14-0) are not particularly noteworthy, as the opponents were of a much lower caliber. In the 2-0 victory against Malaysia, however, weaknesses were evident in the performance of Pham Duc Hoa and his teammates.

The Vietnamese futsal team (left) won all three of their first matches at the 2024 Southeast Asian Futsal Championship.

Firstly, the Vietnamese futsal team often struggles in the first half due to their slow start to the game. Whether coach Giustozzi uses the starting lineup or the reserves, the players tend to play disjointedly and nervously in the early stages of the match. In the game against Timor Leste, Vietnam only led 1-0 in the first 20 minutes with numerous missed opportunities, then conceded an equalizer at the beginning of the second half. In the match against Malaysia, Giustozzi's team was held to a 0-0 draw in the first half, with Malaysia creating more chances. And in the match against Brunei, despite winning by a margin of 14 goals, Vietnam only scored 3 goals in the first half, with a series of missed shots in the final 5 minutes despite playing a power-play to launch an all-out attack.

The habit of starting slowly led to the Vietnamese futsal team's defeat at the Asian Championship, and consequently, their failure to qualify for the World Cup a few months ago. Coach Giustozzi wants to help his players correct this by choosing a more cautious and control-oriented playing style. However, the results have not been effective. The Vietnamese futsal team only accelerates when they have a favorable psychological momentum, instead of controlling the pace of play. This is an obstacle that the whole team must overcome, because against Thailand or Indonesia in later rounds, a slow start is tantamount to "shooting themselves in the foot." Against strong opponents, the machine needs to be running hot from the very first minute.

Furthermore, the inability to capitalize on opportunities is also a problem that has caused Coach Giustozzi to shake his head many times while watching his players perform. Without Nguyen Minh Tri, the "firepower" has to be divided among Nguyen Thinh Phat, Chau Doan Phat, Nguyen Thai Huy, Nhan Gia Hung… While the bright spot is that the goal-scoring responsibility doesn't depend on any one player, but is distributed evenly among the wingers, pivots, and fixos, the relatively careless finishing of the Vietnamese players is also a reason why the whole team is struggling. They need to be more efficient with the opportunities they get, find more reliable shooting angles, because in the upcoming matches, scoring opportunities will be limited.

WHERE ARE THE "CLASH CARDS"?

The Vietnamese futsal team enjoyed five years of success (2016-2021) despite being coached by various strategists, such as Bruno Formoso (Asian semi-finalists 2016), Miguel Rodrigo (round of 16 at the 2016 World Cup), and Pham Minh Giang (round of 16 at the 2021 World Cup). This was due to the coaches building highly balanced and well-rounded teams. Each team possessed its own unique characteristics and strengths, serving specific tactical objectives. As a result, the Vietnamese futsal team adapted very well to the flow of the game and could employ a variety of strategies.

However, it seems that Coach Giustozzi has yet to find the most suitable defensive formations. The formations of Duc Hoa, Gia Hung, Thai Huy, Doan Phat, or Thinh Phat, Manh Dung, and Minh Quang have not shown the desired cohesion to serve his intentions of controlling the ball or attacking. This confusion was most evident in the match against Malaysia, where the tactical choices of the Argentinian coach only took effect in the second half. The Vietnamese futsal team needs "trump cards," which are powerful backup formations to counter the pressure from opponents in the upcoming rounds.

In terms of player quality, it must be frankly admitted that the Vietnamese futsal team is no longer what it used to be. The key to victory will lie in the ability to adapt flexibly in specific matches.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-tuyen-futsal-viet-nam-thang-nhung-van-lo-185241105221119049.htm