Vietnam team starts the attack machine

TAKE ADVANTAGE

The Vietnamese team received a surprising advantage in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers when they played two matches against Nepal (rounds 3 and 4) at home, instead of playing round 3 at home (October 9) and round 4 away (October 14) as originally scheduled. Nepal giving the right to host the match on October 14 helped the Vietnamese team save travel time and adapt to the thin air conditions on the opponent's field.

Đội tuyển Việt Nam khởi động cỗ máy tấn công- Ảnh 1. — Vietnam team will come back strong

With 2 matches at Binh Duong and Thong Nhat stadiums, the Vietnamese team has the opportunity to take all 6 points to continue competing with Malaysia. The gap of 3 points and 5 goal difference (+6 compared to +1) can still be filled, when Vietnam and Malaysia have 4 matches ahead. Before thinking about the rematch with Malaysia in March 2026, the Vietnamese team needs to take all 9 points against Nepal and Laos, in the matches that coach Kim Sang-sik's team must win.

Against the underdogs, the Vietnamese team is capable of winning. The important thing is how to win to maintain their position, and at the same time re-form the controlling style that Mr. Kim and his team lost in the 0-4 loss to Malaysia. The Vietnamese team needs to learn how to control the game, not to get caught up in the opponent's style of play, and at the same time build a more diverse attacking strategy to avoid depending on a few key players. For a long time, Mr. Kim's students have had a habit of having trouble against teams that press and defend hard. It is necessary to restart the attacking machine, as each match is an opportunity for the Vietnamese team to become a better version.

The advantage for coach Kim Sang-sik is that the U.23 Vietnam team has had 3 more months to "mature". 7 matches at the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 Championship and the 2026 Asian U.23 qualifiers have strengthened the mettle and mentality of the potential generation, with leaders such as Trung Kien, Ly Duc, Van Truong, Dinh Bac... In previous training sessions, Mr. Kim called up young players to practice with their seniors, but only gave them playing positions in a reserved manner. That was the time when the U.23 Vietnam team did not have many opportunities to show themselves to coach Kim, and at the same time, the senior generation still maintained good form.

However, when the 1995-1997 generation begins to decline in performance, both in the club and the national team, succession is required. In the early October training session, the U.23 Vietnam generation is likely to join the national team in all 3 lines to create a competitive breeze. With 2 home matches against weaker opponents, the Vietnamese team has a golden opportunity to continue experimenting while still ensuring the achievement aspect.

WHEN TEACHER KIM COMES BACK

In the September training session, the players had a relatively comfortable week of training, with a spirit of testing and internal friendlies under the direction of acting head coach Dinh Hong Vinh.

However, when coach Kim Sang-sik returns, the training routine will be very different. Higher intensity and speed, thorough physical training and tactics, so that the whole team can regain their feeling after 4 consecutive months without any official matches. Besides the young players from U.23, there will be new players from V-League who will continue to be selected. 3 rounds of matches in V-League and National Cup will continue to be the basis for the Korean strategist to choose.

At the AFF Cup 2024, Mr. Kim Sang-sik made many new discoveries such as Ngoc Quang, Dinh Trieu, Van Vi, Vi Hao, Ngoc Tan... In the last two U.23 tournaments, Xuan Bac, Hieu Minh, Anh Quan... took turns stepping into the light. Mr. Kim's ability to explore and persistently experiment helps the Vietnamese team stay fresh and unpredictable.

During the transition period, the Vietnamese team's personnel promises to change. In the next training session, Mr. Kim is expected to continue to call about 28-30 players for screening. A week ago, the Vietnamese team welcomed Quang Kiet, Hoang Phuc, Gia Hung, Van Chuan... as an example. Although in the match against Malaysia, Mr. Kim persisted with the old players because the opponent was strong. But when meeting Nepal and Laos, the tests will continue, until the Vietnamese team finds the answer. The door to the national team is always open, which will create conditions for domestic players to continue trying to get into the "green eye" of Mr. Kim.

In the last 5 home matches under Mr. Kim, the Vietnamese team has won all of them, scoring 16 goals. Hoang Duc and his teammates need a boost to lift their spirits. Hopefully, the "fire pans" of Binh Duong and Thong Nhat will help the Vietnamese team take full victory in October.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-tuyen-viet-nam-khoi-dong-co-may-tan-cong-185250912213010845.htm