Laos 0-0 Vietnam (end of first half): A bit of a stalemate

(Dan Tri) - In the first 45 minutes, the Vietnamese team played better than Laos and created a few attacks, however, coach Kim Sang Sik's students could not find a breakthrough.

Coach Kim Sang Sik: "Xuan Son can play, Vietnam team must beat Laos"

“Tomorrow’s match is the national team’s last match in 2025, and is also an important match in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Therefore, the whole team has prepared very carefully. The players are all in the best physical condition and I believe we will have a good match, bringing about positive results. We will try our best,” coach Kim Sang Sik opened the press conference at Landmark Mekong Riverside Hotel (Laos).

Coach Kim Sang Sik (Photo: VFF).

The Korean coach emphasized the 3-point target: “Although there is still a match against Malaysia ahead, winning tomorrow’s match is extremely important and will create a big boost for the upcoming journey. The whole team is in good shape, almost at 100%.”

Talking about the return of striker Nguyen Xuan Son, coach Kim Sang Sik sent his thanks to Nam Dinh Club: “I heard that Nam Dinh has encountered many difficulties without Xuan Son. I thank the club for taking care of him during the past time. Using Xuan Son is completely possible. He has undergone 10 months of injury treatment, and I am grateful to his family and those who have always been by his side. Xuan Son's return will help the team have more attacking options. I hope he will score to bring good news to Vietnamese fans.”

Hai Long: "The Laos team has improved a lot compared to the first leg"

“I am very excited to enter the match. If I get on the field, I will try to show my ability and try to score goals as well as contribute to the overall play of the whole team,” Hai Long affirmed.

In the upcoming match, Nguyen Xuan Son will likely return to the Vietnamese national team after nearly a year of injury treatment. Hai Long talked about the role of the 28-year-old striker: “As everyone knows, Xuan Son is a top striker. When playing with him, the surrounding players learn a lot. Xuan Son's return will definitely help the team gain more strength.”

Hai Long assessed that the Laos team is not an easy opponent to defeat (Photo: Nam Anh).

Laos coach: "It would be a mistake to only focus on Xuan Son"

Evaluating striker Nguyen Xuan Son, coach Ha Hyeok Jun has special respect: “He is a very good, very excellent player. However, if we focus too much on Xuan Son, we will neglect the other players. Whether Xuan Son or Quang Hai plays, we will still follow the established playing style.”

Coach Ha Hyeok Jun also expressed his impression of the Vietnamese people's love for football: "I believe that the passion not only of the players but also of the media and fans has contributed to the remarkable progress of Vietnamese football. This strong development is not only taking place in Vietnam but also spreading throughout Southeast Asia. I see a very bright future for football here."

Laos national team coach, Mr. Ha Hyeok Jun (Photo: Khoa Nguyen).

Vietnam team had its first training session in Laos, ready for the Asian Cup qualifiers

The training session took place at the training ground of the Lao Football Federation Youth Football Training Center, about 40 minutes away from the team's base. The weather ranged from 22 to 26 degrees Celsius, with light rain but did not affect the quality of training, creating favorable conditions for the whole team to quickly get into the rhythm of preparation.

After an exciting warm-up session, the coaching staff deployed technical content on offensive and defensive tactics. In the second half of the training session, the players were divided into teams to compete against each other on half the field to improve their ability to change state and accuracy in coordination.

The Vietnamese team was excited during the first training session in Laos (Photo: VFF).

Before the training session, young midfielder Khong Minh Gia Bao shared with the media his feelings on his first time joining the national team. Gia Bao said he felt very surprised and happy when he received a message from his senior Nguyen Tien Linh announcing his call-up to the national team. Immediately after being confirmed, Gia Bao informed his parents, who were very happy and extremely proud of their son.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/doi-tuyen-lao-0-0-viet-nam-het-hiep-1-mot-chut-be-tac-20251119164057849.htm