Vietnam team shakes off psychological burden
The away match at Malaysia's Bukit Jalil Stadium next June is the most difficult obstacle for the Vietnamese team in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.
The Malaysian team may have ups and downs, but the "fire bowl" Bukit Jalil with a capacity of more than 85,000 seats has never been a place where away teams can think of easily leaving with 3 points.
At the 2018 AFF Cup, the Vietnamese team, who were at their peak under coach Park Hang-seo, could only leave Malaysia with a 2-2 draw. The last time the Vietnamese team beat Malaysia away was 11 years ago, with a 2-1 victory in the first leg of the 2014 AFF Cup semi-finals.
Vietnam team competes with Malaysia in the second round
PHOTO: NGOC LINH
At the 2024 AFF Cup, although the Malaysian team hit rock bottom, they still only lost 0-1 to Thailand at home, and also pressured Singapore in a 0-0 draw at the end of the group stage.
The Malaysian team in the upcoming match will be very different from their AFF Cup 2024 counterparts. First of all, because the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers are part of the FIFA Days, the best Malaysian players (mostly playing for JDT Club) will return. The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) also plans to naturalize a series of European and South American players to strengthen the squad.
FAM has only one goal: to win a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup at all costs. Therefore, the Malaysian team is determined to take full advantage of the advantage called Bukit Jalil to beat the Vietnamese team and take the top spot.
The opponent had to win, but the Vietnamese team did not. A resounding 5-0 victory over Laos in the final match (while Malaysia only beat Nepal 2-0) helped coach Kim Sang-sik's team temporarily take the lead after the opening match. If they had not lost to Malaysia at Bukit Jalil, Vietnam would have kept the top spot. Therefore, 1 point can be considered a success.
Remember, we still have a rematch with Malaysia in March 2026. That is when factors like Nguyen Xuan Son, Bui Vi Hao have returned, Cao Pendant Quang Vinh has integrated, and Hendrio may even have Vietnamese citizenship to join the national team. At that time, the chance to beat Malaysia will be much clearer.
Coach Kim Sang-sik affirmed that the Vietnamese team always enters the match with the goal of winning, no matter who they face or on what field. There will be no way that Mr. Kim and his team will play for a draw. However, to win a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup, the Vietnamese team needs to win the entire journey, and the match against Malaysia is merely a step on that journey.
Coach Kim Sang-sik
PHOTO: NGOC LINH
The overall goal is still more important, and sometimes, it is not always about rushing forward. 6 years ago, Vietnam won a ticket to the 2019 Asian Cup thanks to 2 wins and 4 draws. The competition is now more unpredictable, with only the top team getting a ticket. However, there is always a need for pauses. What is necessary is for the Vietnam team to control the situation and be ready to adjust.
Throw away your worries
One of the secrets to the success of coach Park Hang-seo and the Vietnamese team is that whenever he doesn't see a chance to win, Mr. Park always knows how to improvise so that he at least doesn't lose.
For example, the two draws with the same score of 0-0 against Thailand in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. The Thais played better in both matches, but still could not beat Vietnam. Or in the first leg of the 2022 AFF Cup semi-finals, Indonesia dominated the whole match. However, Mr. Park's students still came home with a 0-0 draw.
A solid defense, tight philosophy and consistent pragmatism have helped the Vietnamese team become a difficult team to beat.
This is the certainty that the Vietnamese team needs in the match against Malaysia. Without Xuan Son "carrying" the team in the front line, coach Kim Sang-sik's team needs to take advantage of the collective strength. Tight and scientific defense, making full use of transitions to counterattack is the approach that the Korean coach can consider.
Take each step carefully throughout the journey, don't get caught up in a particular battle. The ultimate goal is nothing more than a ticket to the Asian Cup. That is the measure of Mr. Kim's class.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-tuyen-viet-nam-mot-tran-hoa-truoc-malaysia-co-du-voi-thay-kim-185250502091552292.htm
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