However, those compliments have now turned into pressure as coach Kim Sang-sik leads the Vietnamese team into the crucial match against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, taking place on June 10.
winged words
Famous Malaysian football expert, Zulakbal Abdul Karim shared with the New Straits Times: "Coach Kim Sang-sik does not have the best players but still manages to make the Southeast Asian Stars play as a unified unit. That says a lot about the strategist's ability to build tactics, showing that he has an effective data analysis team. In modern football, analysis determines a lot of decisions, and Coach Kim Sang-sik clearly knows how to use that to his advantage."
Coach Kim Sang-sik faces many difficulties before the confrontation with Malaysia
PHOTO: MINH TU
Mr. Zulakbal's comments were made after the Southeast Asian Stars team defeated MU 1-0 in a friendly match at Bukit Jalil Stadium (Malaysia). A friendly match may not say much. But to the Malaysian media, what coach Kim Sang-sik did was very impressive. The Korean strategist did not have the most satisfactory players because the teams refused to release them, had to work with players from many different countries in a very short period of time, but still won against Ruben Amorim. Meanwhile, MU still released many key players in the squad such as Bruno Fernandes, Harry Maguire, Garnacho...
New Straits Times also commented on the big match on June 10: "The Malaysian team needs to be really sharp. The 'Golden Star Warriors' have dominated in direct confrontations between the two teams in recent years. The Vietnamese team has won 7 out of the last 8 encounters, since 2016. The last time Harimau Malaya won was 11 years ago (AFF Cup 2014)".
Expert Zulakbal said briefly: "The Vietnamese team is always well-trained and difficult to defeat."
Waiting for coach Kim Sang-sik to overcome difficulties
Compared to the squad that won the AFF Cup 2024, the quality of personnel in this training session is not as good. The central defenders are becoming "fragile" due to injuries to Bui Hoang Viet Anh and Nguyen Thanh Binh, who were replaced by Dang Van Toi and Pham Ly Duc, two players who do not have much international experience. In the right-back position, Vu Van Thanh and Ho Tan Tai are also absent due to injuries, leaving coach Kim Sang-sik with only one choice, Truong Tien Anh (in case he lets Pham Xuan Manh play as a right-back like in the AFF Cup 2024).
Coach Kim Sang-sik also cannot have the service of Doan Ngoc Tan, the best defensive midfielder in Vietnam in the past year. Bui Vi Hao and Nguyen Xuan Son are suffering from long-term injuries and the Vietnamese team lacks a pressing "machine" from the front line, a dangerous drill and a classy striker capable of effective independent combat. Nguyen Tien Linh, the best domestic striker at the moment, is not in the best form or condition.
The role of experienced players such as Bui Tien Dung, Do Duy Manh, Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Cong Phuong will be very important in the upcoming match.
PHOTO: MINH TU
On the other side of the front line, the Malaysian team is making significant progress. Under coach Peter Cklamovski, they have significantly improved their strength thanks to a source of high-quality naturalized and "Ma-Kieu" players. Recently, they had a 1-1 draw with the team ranked 72nd in FIFA's rankings, Cape Verde. At this time, the Malaysian team's confidence is very high.
Some bright spots of the current Vietnamese team are Nguyen Filip regaining his form. Key players like Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Quang Hai, Nguyen Van Vi... are playing consistently. Most importantly, we have the presence of a quality overseas Vietnamese defender, Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, but his ability to integrate still needs to be tested.
It is not difficult to see that the Vietnamese team is at a disadvantage when losing a series of important players in all three lines. Meanwhile, Malaysia has almost the strongest squad, and is excited after a series of positive friendly matches. But in that situation, what fans are waiting for is the tactical mark of coach Kim Sang-sik - the man who once turned a "patched" squad of Southeast Asian stars into a winning team. Now is the time for the Korean strategist to affirm the class of the 2024 AFF Cup champion.
Thanhnien.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-can-khang-dinh-dang-cap-sau-con-mua-loi-khen-tu-malaysia-185250602141108282.htm
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