On the evening of November 21, in the second match of the second qualifying round for the 2026 World Cup, the Philippines team drew with Indonesia at home. Meanwhile, the Vietnam team lost to Iraq at My Dinh Stadium.
Speaking after the match, Coach Troussier said: " To organize a defense without the ball against a tall opponent, we had a strategy to limit their strength as much as possible. The goal conceded in the last minute was really regrettable, causing all the efforts and enthusiasm put into the team's tactics to not bring good results. All the players tried very hard today. I am disappointed with the goal and the result, but not disappointed with the way they played. I am proud of all the students who played resiliently against the top Asian opponents in the World Cup qualifiers. We lost but learned a lesson, we have to admit that Vietnamese players are inferior when competing with tall players. This is the reason we played friendly matches with teams with good physiques before.
Coach Troussier disappointed when Vietnam lost at the last minute
Most of my substitution decisions are for physical reasons. The V-League only allows players to play well for 60 minutes. The quality of the My Dinh pitch is also a problem, the ball bounces and fluctuates, making it difficult for players to control.
Although we lost, looking at the big picture, the Vietnamese team is aiming for the second place in the group to enter the third round. Our main opponent is Indonesia, although I respect the Philippines. The Philippines and Indonesia's draw helps us still have an advantage in group F."
At the same time, the 68-year-old coach also explained why he did not use Hoang Duc, hoping that the midfielder would make more efforts: "I am satisfied with the players who played today. We tend to put individual ability above the team, such performances can win in Southeast Asia, but against strong opponents like Iraq or top teams in Asia, relying on individuals alone is not enough. The quality of the domestic tournament is not high, the quality of training is not good, we do not have many players playing abroad.
The Vietnamese team needs to improve their ability to organize defense better, especially when they don't have the ball. I think the Golden Ball of Vietnam this year will belong to Hoang Duc, but I want him to try harder, I always want to push him to try to practice and play better. Young players like Dinh Bac and Van Khang have shown their potential, positivity and enthusiasm today. But they need to play more at clubs that favor older, influential players. When we solve all those problems, the level of the national team will be raised."
'Vietnam team has a future'
Winning in the final minutes, Iraq head coach Jesus Casas Garcia highly appreciated the Vietnamese team: "The match was very difficult as we predicted. Both teams played with dedication. I am very happy to win. The Vietnamese team is a very quality team, with a clear playing style. They control the ball and deploy well on the wing. I cannot compare young players with experienced players, but overall they are skilled and play well. This is good news for the Vietnamese team because the journey to qualify for the 2026 World Cup is still long. The rejuvenated Vietnamese team will be very good for the future."
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