Vietnam national team and attacking options

Since October 5, the Vietnamese team has started training in Thu Dau Mot (HCMC) to prepare for two matches against Nepal in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup. In this training session, coach Kim Sang-sik has called up 5 strikers.

Among them, experienced players like Tuan Hai and Tien Linh can combine with young players Dinh Bac, Gia Hung and Thanh Nhan. They are also on the list of 8 young players called up to the Vietnam national team this time.

In the first training session, coach Kim Sang-sik only gave a light lesson plan to help his players relax their muscles and relieve the fatigue after the match. After the warm-up, the players were reinforced with basic tactical exercises, with special attention paid to helping the 8 young faces from the U23 team get used to the common playing style. The Korean coach was pleased with the quick integration of the new players.

The presence of young players in the striker position helps Mr. Kim Sang-sik have more optimal options for the attack. This is still a position that has not brought efficiency in recent matches in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

The Vietnam team is preparing for two matches with Nepal. Photo: VFF.

Most recently, in the 0-4 loss to Malaysia in June, Vietnam took the field without any real strikers. Chau Ngoc Quang and Nguyen Hai Long seemed unable to create any breakthroughs when they were assigned the role of a center forward.

In the second training session, striker Nguyen Tien Linh said: “Having 2 matches against Nepal at the moment is an important warm-up step for the Vietnam team. This squad has a mix of young players and experienced faces, creating an interesting combination. This is also an opportunity for the coaching staff to evaluate the form, spirit and adaptation of the new players.

Most of the young players are called up to the national team for the first time. They train very hard, always want to express themselves and show that they are potential factors of Vietnamese football. The upcoming two matches will be a good opportunity for them to accumulate experience, get used to the pressure of international competition and improve in the future."

The Vietnamese team's striker said the most important goal is to aim for a maximum of 6 points in the two matches against Nepal, before traveling to Laos in November and playing Malaysia again at home in March next year.

“I believe the whole team will show great determination and show clear progress through each match. The further goal is to qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup finals, and to achieve that, we must start by doing well in each upcoming match,” said Tien Linh.

Tien Linh will be the first choice of Mr. Kim Sang-sik. Besides, Dinh Bac and Thanh Nhan are also possible options at this time. Facing a not-so-strong opponent like Nepal, it is also an opportunity for Mr. Kim to experiment.

According to the plan, the Vietnamese team will practice in Thu Dau Mot until October 8 before entering two matches with Nepal: the first leg at 7:30 p.m. on October 9 at Go Dau Stadium and the second leg at 7:30 p.m. on October 14 at Thong Nhat Stadium (HCMC).

Source: https://cand.com.vn/the-thao/doi-tuyen-viet-nam-va-lua-chon-o-hang-cong-i783788/