Coach Kim Sang Sik: Focus fully on the remaining matches

Coach Kim Sang Sik and player Xuan Manh at the press conference after the match on the evening of October 9. (Photo: VFF)

Speaking after the match, the Korean coach emphasized: "What we need to do now is focus on winning all the remaining matches, instead of paying too much attention to the results of our competitors."

Mr. Kim expressed satisfaction with the results, although the Vietnamese team still missed many opportunities to increase the gap. “We had a lot of shots in this match and could have scored more goals. However, three goals is a positive result. If we had taken better advantage of the finishing phase, the team would have achieved higher results,” the head coach of the Vietnamese team assessed.

Analyzing the reason for the only goal conceded in the match, Mr. Kim pointed out: “It was a set piece situation and the players lacked concentration in defense. This is a point that needs to be improved to move towards more certainty in the next matches.”

Paying respect to their opponents Nepal, coach Kim Sang Sik said the South Asian team showed a resilient fighting spirit and remarkable physical strength. “They caused us a lot of trouble. This was not an easy match,” he said.

Coach Kim Sang Sik shared at the press conference. (Photo: VFF)

When asked about goalkeeper Dang Van Lam's performance, coach Kim said that this was not a match that fully reflected his student's ability: "Van Lam performed very well at the club level before this training session. However, today's match did not have many situations to clearly evaluate because Nepal did not create many dangerous shots."

Tactically, the Korean coach said the team proactively chose a safe playing style in the first half and made flexible adjustments when the opponent lost physical strength in the second half. “We put on the field players with an attacking tendency to create breakthroughs, and the whole team carried out the plan as planned, bringing the expected results,” Mr. Kim shared.

Also at the press conference, coach Kim Sang Sik emphasized that the important goal now is for the whole team to maintain focus and aim for further victories. “Malaysia also won today and is temporarily leading. But we will try our best in the remaining three matches to decide our own fate. We need to focus on each match, each point instead of thinking about the opponent,” he affirmed.

Player Pham Xuan Manh at the press conference. (Photo: VFF)

Player Pham Xuan Manh, who was voted “Player of the Match”, could not hide his emotions after scoring his first goal for the national team. “I am very happy to have scored my first goal for the team. This was not an easy match, but when the opponent received a red card, the game became more favorable. We took advantage of the opportunity to win”, Xuan Manh shared.

The 3-1 victory helped the Vietnamese team gain 6 points after three matches, continuing to closely pursue the top team Malaysia and opening up many hopes in the race for a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup Finals.

According to the schedule, the Vietnamese team will play Nepal again at Thong Nhat Stadium ( Ho Chi Minh City) at 7:30 p.m. on October 14. This will be an opportunity for coach Kim Sang Sik and his team to continue to affirm their determination and ability.

PHAN THACH

Source: https://nhandan.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-tap-trung-toi-da-cho-nhung-tran-dau-con-lai-post914232.html