Coach Kim Sang-sik: "Every match is a final"
On July 15, at a press conference ahead of the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament in Indonesia, coach Kim Sang-sik said he felt proud to accompany U.23 Vietnam in the regional arena. In this arena, the U.23 Vietnam team has won the championship twice in a row (in 2022 and 2023). The Korean coach admitted that this also brought some pressure to himself and the whole team.
"I feel very happy to be with the team participating in this tournament. U.23 Vietnam has won the championship twice before, so we also feel a bit of pressure. However, the whole team will try our best and practice hard to achieve the best results in this tournament," coach Kim Sang-sik shared.
Coach Kim press conference on July 15
Coach Kim Sang-sik and U.23 Vietnam face the task of defending the regional championship
PHOTO: NGOC LINH
The captain born in 1976 emphasized that the U.23 Vietnam team will compete with the highest spirit in each match, considering each match as a final, demonstrating professionalism and thorough preparation: "We always work seriously, considering each match as a final. The spirit of the whole team is to compete with the highest determination in each match."
Coach Kim Sang-sik highly appreciates Thailand and Indonesia
Regarding the opponents, Mr. Kim Sang-sik has special respect for two highly rated teams, Thailand and host Indonesia: "Thailand has many players with very good individual skills, while Indonesia stands out with strong physical strength. These are two formidable opponents and will compete fiercely for the championship of the U.23 Southeast Asian Championship this year."
At the 2025 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament, the Vietnam U.23 team is in Group B with Cambodia U.23 and Laos U.23. Under coach Kim Sang-sik, the team is aiming to defend the title, while also setting the stage for the 2026 Asian U.23 qualifiers in September and the 33rd SEA Games at the end of the year.
The U.23 Vietnam team will play their opening match against U.23 Laos at 5:00 p.m. on July 19 (Vietnam time). Coach Ha Hyeok-jun (U.23 Laos) frankly admitted that his team was rated lower than U.23 Vietnam and U.23 Cambodia in all aspects. However, U.23 Laos still came to the tournament with the determination to learn, improve themselves and create surprises.
“We have players who have played for both the national team and the U.23 team. The goal is to improve their individual abilities and prepare for the future. Hopefully, this tournament will be a good foundation for Laos to develop and prepare for important upcoming tournaments such as the U.23 Asian qualifiers and the 33rd SEA Games,” coach Ha Hyeok-jun shared.
Closing Group B, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will face U.23 Cambodia at 8:00 p.m. on July 22 (Vietnam time).
Watch the full U.23 Southeast Asian Football Championship Mandiri Cup™ 2025 live on FPT Play, visit http://fptplay.vn
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-noi-gi-ve-u23-thai-lan-va-indonesia-truoc-giai-dong-nam-a-185250715141054676.htm
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