On the afternoon of July 28, at the press conference room of Gelora Bung Karno Stadium (Jakarta, Indonesia), head coach Kim Sang-sik and midfielder Viktor Le represented U23 Vietnam at the official press conference before the final match against the host team Indonesia. The match will take place at 8:00 p.m. on July 29, also at the largest stadium in Southeast Asia.
Speaking at the press conference, coach Kim Sang-sik opened with a cautious attitude: "This will definitely be a very difficult match and it is too early to make a judgment about the final result. However, if U23 Vietnam prepares carefully and the players play according to plan, I believe our team will win."
Commenting on the journey of the two teams to the final, Coach Kim said that U23 Vietnam has a slight advantage in physical strength as they have played one less match than their opponents: “This is a factor that can be effective in a high-pressure match. In youth football, competitive spirit will play a particularly important role. We are ready to face the biggest challenge of this tournament.”
The Korean strategist also highly appreciated the opponent Indonesia - the team that just defeated U23 Thailand after 120 dramatic minutes in the semi-finals: "I don't think they will change the starting lineup. Although there are many young players and they have just gone through a long match, with a three-day break, they will recover well."
For his part, midfielder Viktor Le – one of the prominent faces of U23 Vietnam at the tournament – shared briefly but with determination: “We are gradually moving towards the final match with the highest concentration. The goal of the whole team is to achieve the best results and bring the championship to Vietnamese fans.”
The Vietnamese-American player also emphasized the importance of maintaining a stable mental state: “I am always confident every time I go on the field. Scoring goals is something everyone wants, but if you only think about it, it is easy to create pressure. For me, the important thing is to play comfortably and give my all. If I have the opportunity to score, I will feel very happy.”
This is the second consecutive time that U23 Vietnam and U23 Indonesia have met in the final of the U23 Southeast Asian tournament. At the 2023 tournament held in Thailand, the two teams drew 0-0 after 120 minutes of play before U23 Vietnam won 6-5 in a nerve-wracking penalty shootout, with goalkeeper Quan Van Chuan being the hero.
This year, U23 Vietnam won the right to enter the final after three wins against Laos, Cambodia (group stage) and the Philippines (semi-final). Meanwhile, U23 Indonesia passed the group stage to top the group after defeating Brunei, the Philippines and drawing with Malaysia, before eliminating Thailand in the semi-final.
The final match on the evening of July 29 is not only a confrontation between two potential teams in the region, but also an opportunity for Vietnamese youth football to affirm its position in the journey towards the 2025 SEA Games and larger international tournaments. With careful preparation and forged mettle through each match, U23 Vietnam is facing an important opportunity to defend the Southeast Asian throne.
Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/hlv-kim-sangsik-neu-dieu-kien-de-u23-viet-nam-thang-tran-chung-ket-u23-dong-nam-a-157008.html
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