The Vietnamese team is stronger than its opponent in the final for a special reason.

The match schedule supports the Vietnamese team with a huge physical advantage in the final of the AFF Cup 2024.

Highlight Vietnam 3-1 Singapore - Second leg semi-final ASEAN MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC Cup 2024

Vietnam team has favorable conditions...

The Vietnamese team has advanced to the final of the AFF Cup 2024 after a 3-1 victory over Singapore in the second leg of the semi-final on the evening of December 29 (winning 5-1 on aggregate). This is the fifth AFF Cup final in Vietnam's history. And ahead of the decisive match, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team have a huge advantage.

That's because the Vietnamese team has one more day off than their opponents in the final, and also gets to play the first leg at home.

Vietnam team advances to the final of AFF Cup 2024

PHOTO: MINH TU

While Quang Hai and his teammates finished the second leg of the semi-final last night, have a full day today to recover and practice lightly before entering tactical training tomorrow (December 31), Vietnam's opponents in the final have to go through a much more rigorous schedule.

The Thai team (or the Philippines) will have to fight hard in the second leg of the semi-final tonight (December 30), then move to Vietnam on December 31 to prepare for the first leg of the final. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team's opponents in the final will only have 1 full day of preparation, much less than the 3 full days of preparation for the Vietnamese team.

Since the second leg of the final is played away from home, both teams will travel to the same venue after the first leg. There is no advantage for the home team in the second leg, as they both have to go through the same travel and recovery schedule.

Having 2 more days to recover and prepare than the opponent, as well as saving travel time, will bring a huge physical advantage to the whole team. As the AFF Cup gradually comes to an end, any team that reaches the final will be exhausted from the harsh journey, this is a huge advantage that the Vietnamese team needs to grasp.

Chau Ngoc Quang was trusted in the second leg of the semi-final, despite sitting on the bench throughout the group stage.

PHOTO: MINH TU

Besides the "favorable location" of Viet Tri Stadium, which is bringing luck to the Vietnamese team, "heavenly time" is also on the side of Mr. Kim's students. Both Thailand and the Philippines have hot climates during this time, in contrast to the "biting" cold in Phu Tho . Therefore, no matter which team makes it to the final, they will have to adapt to the cold weather in the north of Vietnam. If they cannot adapt to the temperature difference, the risk of physical strength and fighting ability decline is inevitable.

...and we also have 'human harmony'

In the final match, the Vietnamese team will have a good physical foundation. Because besides the schedule that has given the team a huge advantage, coach Kim Sang-sik's rotation strategy also helps the pillars have time to rest and recover, without having to strain on a tight schedule.

For example, Hoang Duc was given an early rest in the second leg last night, while Quang Hai and Tien Linh entered the field in the final minutes. Coach Kim Sang-sik is not afraid to rotate, even in positions that are rarely changed, such as goalkeeper or center back.

On the offensive line, except for Xuan Son who has played all 3 matches, the surrounding satellites such as Hai Long, Ngoc Quang, Thanh Binh, Vi Hao... all share playing time. Coach Kim Sang-sik's way of using people brings two advantages: helping his students save energy to focus on the most important match, and at the same time, the whole team has an unpredictable appearance when not depending on any fixed human frame.

Coach Kim Sang-sik affirmed that "the Vietnamese team has prepared for the final" even before the first leg of the semi-final against Singapore. The Korean coach has made careful calculations. When all advantages are in hand, believe that the Vietnamese team will play well in the two finals of the AFF Cup 2024.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-tuyen-viet-nam-khoe-vuot-troi-doi-thu-o-chung-ket-boi-ly-do-dac-biet-185241230105502377.htm