Vietnam team shows off promising attack against Malaysia?

Simultaneous injuries to many key players forced coach Kim Sang-sik to restructure the Vietnamese team's attack.

A DIFFICULT PROBLEM FOR TEACHER K IM

The Vietnamese national team's attack is getting thinner after many important players were injured or lost their form. After Xuan Son, it was Vi Hao's turn to suffer a long-term injury, and he will definitely miss the match against Malaysia in June (2027 Asian Cup qualifiers). Van Toan was also injured in the match where Nam Dinh FC won 3-1 against Binh Duong FC, and needs time for treatment. Key striker Tien Linh has also lost his scoring touch with only 1 goal in the last 7 matches.

Therefore, the attack will be a difficult problem for coach Kim Sang-sik. At the AFF Cup 2024, the Vietnamese team scored 21 goals after 8 matches, but it is easy to see that the team's operation depends a lot on Xuan Son's inspiration. The striker born in 1997 scored 7 goals and had 2 assists after only 5 matches on the field. In matches, such as the match against Singapore in the second leg of the semi-finals or Thailand in the first leg of the final, Xuan Son did almost everything, from scoring goals, creating play, creating walls to moving to open up space for teammates.

Hai Long (left) is an important factor of the Vietnamese team.

PHOTO: INDEPENDENCE

Without Xuan Son, the Vietnamese team still scored 7 goals against Laos and Cambodia in the March matches. However, neither of these opponents was a strong enough test for coach Kim's team to reveal their attacking shortcomings. The Malaysian team will be very different. The "Tigers" promise to transform with many naturalized players. Malaysia's tough, fierce, and extremely competitive playing style will pose a big challenge for the Vietnamese team, which is in the process of changing its lineup and rebuilding its playing style. Coach Kim needs a more powerful and diverse attack to solve the difficult problem at Bukit Jalil, a stadium with a capacity of more than 90,000 spectators that Malaysia will use as a fulcrum in the upcoming match.

SOLUTION

Coach Kim Sang-sik has calculated many options to upgrade the attack. The first solution is to diversify the scoring sources. In the matches against Laos and Cambodia, surprise attackers such as Van Vi (left back), Hai Long or Ngoc Quang (attacking midfielder) all tore the opponent's net. In particular, Van Vi's runs and penetration into the penalty area became an interesting suggestion for the Vietnamese team to build more surprise attacks.

With Xuan Son, the Vietnamese team can concentrate the ball so that the Brazilian star can fight independently. Without him, coach Kim Sang-sik has spread his firepower to many players. The Vietnamese team combines many plans, swapping positions more to open up opportunities. Although the level of fluency is still a big question mark, at least Mr. Kim and his team have tried to find a new way, avoiding dependence on any individual.

Coach Kim Sang-sik also plans to call up many new players in the June training session. The Korean strategist is not afraid of changes, as evidenced by the starting positions for Ngoc Tan, Dinh Trieu, Ngoc Quang, Hai Long and Vi Hao in the AFF Cup 2024. When the pillars are injured, U.22 resources such as Viktor Le, Dinh Bac, Quoc Viet, or rising players in the V-League can become suggestions. However, Mr. Kim's openness is one thing, the players must maintain their form and fitness to meet the very strict standards that this coach applies.

With promising innovation and operation, the attacking appearance of the Vietnamese team will be very different. To reach out to Asia and compete with opponents who are changing every day such as Indonesia, Thailand, etc., the Vietnamese team needs to recreate motivation, competitiveness and create a solid philosophy.

Finally, the match against Malaysia at Bukit Jalil in June is a match that the Vietnamese team does not have to win. A draw away from home is enough, as Mr. Kim and his team still have the return match at home in March 2026. Therefore, the defense still needs more attention. Fortunately, up to now, the Vietnamese team's defense is still healthy, even more formidable when Cao Pendant Quang Vinh has Vietnamese nationality and is ready to join the national team. Defending firmly and then making the most of opportunities through counter-attacks will be a smart move for the Vietnamese team, both fully exploiting the defensive instinct that is the player's strength, and limiting the shortcomings in the attack that Mr. Kim may not be able to fill in a short time.

A reasonable strategy will help the Vietnamese team overcome the obstacle of Malaysia. Let's wait for the strategic talent of coach Kim Sang-sik!

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doi-tuyen-viet-nam-trinh-lang-hang-cong-hua-hen-truoc-malaysia-185250429185034064.htm