Putting aside the surrounding pressure, the Vietnamese team wants to find joy when playing Iraq.

There is no easy road to glory

As part of the preparation plan for the final group stage match with Iraq, the Vietnamese team had a physical training session on the morning of January 21 in the hotel gym.

The whole team strives to regenerate positive energy and is determined to achieve the best result against Iraq, thereby creating a beautiful ending before closing the journey at the 2023 Asian Cup Finals.

Van Toan was a reserve player in the match against Indonesia.

Hung Dung will not play in the match against Indonesia.

After 2 rounds, Iraq has secured the top spot in the group after winning the direct confrontation with Indonesia and Japan. Meanwhile, due to losing to Japan and Indonesia, the Vietnamese team no longer has a chance to compete for a ticket to the next round, even if they beat Iraq with any score. The final match of the group stage between the Vietnamese team and the Iraqi team is therefore just a formality.

But with the spirit of never giving up and always trying their best for the flag and the shirt, coach Philippe Troussier and his team still prepared for the match with seriousness and high determination. They understood that if they could not overcome the difficult times as well as bravely face the surrounding pressure and persevere with their choice, it would be difficult to demand a better result in the future.

In his speech to his players, Coach Philippe Troussier said that even though he is 70 years old and has almost everything, he still keeps himself motivated to continue working and devotes his every effort to contribute to Vietnamese football. Therefore, he hopes that the players who are in the most energetic stage of their lives will continue to strive in all circumstances, first to develop themselves, then to make their aspirations and ambitions come true. There is no easy road to glory.

Tuan Hai and Van Tung have not recovered from their injuries.

The match against Iraq will take place on January 24. So, coach Philippe Troussier and his team will have 2 more days to prepare. Regarding the force, the team has the return of young striker Dinh Bac.

However, the two players injured in the match against Indonesia, Tuan Hai and Van Tung, are still recovering with the support of doctors and physiotherapists. The team's goal is to achieve the best result against Iraq, thereby not only demonstrating the spirit of not giving up but also creating motivation for the road ahead, when we meet Indonesia and Iraq again in the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup, in March and June respectively.

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