Coach Kim Sang-sik's talent for transformation
Vietnam U.23 has entered the final of the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 with an all-win record, having successively defeated Laos U.23 (3-0), Cambodia U.23 (2-1) in the group stage and the Philippines U.23 (2-1) in the semi-finals. This is a relatively predictable result, as coach Kim Sang-sik and his team are in a relatively easy bracket, unlike Indonesia U.23, Thailand U.23 and Malaysia U.23 who have to "kill" each other in the remaining bracket.
However, it cannot be denied that U.23 Vietnam has left a positive mark in its playing style. Coach Kim's students have gradually improved with each match, with varied and flexible tactics thanks to the unpredictable "rubik's cube" ability of the Korean coach.
Coach Kim Sang-sik
PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG
In each match, coach Kim Sang-sik introduces a different experimental style, especially in the midfield, which is considered the "backbone" of the game. In the match against U.23 Cambodia and U.23 Philippines, he surprisingly trusted midfielder Xuan Bac, who had never played in the V-League or the national team before. Not Van Truong and Thai Son, players who have played in many youth tournaments and played for the national team, but Xuan Bac was the most stable player in the midfield with the ability to control the rhythm, carry the ball, and penetrate the penalty area to score.
U.23 Vietnam has the strongest force, VAR may appear in the final
In the semi-final match against U.23 Philippines, coach Kim Sang-sik shocked everyone when he gave Cong Phuong a starting position, even though the "youngest player" born in 2006 was not used often before. It seemed that Cong Phuong only participated in the tournament to gain experience, but Mr. Kim decided to trust the "young shoot" of Viettel 's The Cong. In response, Cong Phuong played aggressively, full of energy, creating many diverse solutions for the attack.
Even the trust placed in right-back Anh Quan was a bold choice by coach Kim Sang-sik. He was willing to eliminate a series of more experienced defenders such as Van Cuong and Hong Phuc to keep the player who only played in the first division. That shows that Mr. Kim has his own tactical views and ways of using people. Experienced players will have a competitive advantage, but they are not sure to be selected. Only Mr. Kim knows why this player is in the starting lineup and that player is not.
Xuan Bac (No. 12) brings a new look to U.23 Vietnam
PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG
Similar to the AFF Cup 2024, the way coach Kim Sang-sik transforms his players helps the Vietnamese team and U.23 Vietnam not be tied to any football playing framework. Mr. Kim's students can transform like "chameleons" to be flexible with each opponent and adapt to each match context.
Battle of wits in the final
The opponent U.23 Indonesia in the final match (taking place at 8pm on July 29) is strong enough to force U.23 Vietnam to use all their resources and play an all-out match.
Indonesia U.23 is not only strong, but also has a balanced force, inherited from the U.23 generation that reached the Asian semi-finals and the U.20 generation that won the Southeast Asian championship (both in 2024). The young team of the archipelago country is also trained by an experienced and adaptable strategist like Gerald Vanenburg, so they can play in many different ways, knowing how to adjust the tempo of the match, sometimes playing fast to attract opponents, sometimes playing slow to keep the rhythm.
To win the championship, besides the psychological problem, U.23 Vietnam needs to have new tactics to surprise U.23 Indonesia. When both sides have carefully studied each other's tactics to find ways to counter them, it is the flexible substitutions or adjustments, the sharp playing style that is the forte of coach Kim that will be the "compass" leading to the throne.
U.23 Vietnam actively practices, VAR may appear in the final
On the bench, coach Kim Sang-sik still has precious gems that are being carefully preserved, such as striker Ngoc My of Thanh Hoa Club and midfielder Thanh Dat of The Cong Viettel. Even potential players like Le Viktor and Van Thuan are still playing with moderate frequency. U.23 Vietnam has not yet shown all its cards. The best will be "packaged" for the decisive battle.
In the second leg of the 2024 AFF Cup final, the card up his sleeve named Tuan Hai helped the Vietnamese team defeat host Thailand. This time, a banquet was carefully prepared by Mr. Kim for U.23 Vietnam to defeat another host.
Watch the full 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 Football Championship Mandiri Cup™ on FPT Play, visit http://fptplay.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-dung-nguoi-cuc-di-u23-indonesia-choang-o-chung-ket-va-thua-185250727171018402.htm
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