Coach Kim Sang-sik continues to eliminate overseas Vietnamese players before SEA Games 33

(NLDO) - Because they have not yet recovered their physical condition, players Le Van Ha, Dinh Quang Kiet, Tran Thanh Trung, Nguyen Duc Viet and Bui Vi Hao cannot participate in the 33rd SEA Games.

On the morning of November 30, Coach Kim Sang-sik announced the list of 23 players of the Vietnam U22 team participating in the men's football event of the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand. The decision was made after a comprehensive assessment of the performance, physical condition and tactical response level of each player through the concentration and training stages in 2025.

Coach Kim Sang-sik lost sleep while selecting players for SEA Games 33

In this final round of cuts, 5 players left the team including: defender Le Van Ha, Dinh Quang Kiet, midfielder Tran Thanh Trung, Nguyen Duc Viet and striker Bui Vi Hao. These are all players who have worked hard in training, but have not yet recovered from their injuries.

“I lost sleep because I had to make a choice. All the players are training and living professionally, but I have to make the best decision for the team,” said the head coach of U22 Vietnam.

In the team meeting before announcing the list, Coach Kim gave the captain's armband to Khuat Van Khang, a midfielder born in 2003 who is considered a player with a lot of international experience through major tournaments such as the 2023 Asian Cup, 2024 U23 Asia and 2024 ASEAN Cup. Van Khang is also an important factor helping U23 Vietnam win the 2025 U23 Southeast Asia Championship and win a ticket to the 2026 U23 Asia Finals.

At the 33rd SEA Games, the Vietnam U22 team is in Group B with Malaysia and Laos. According to the adjusted schedule, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will play their opening match against Laos U22 on December 3, before facing Malaysia U22 on December 11, at Rajamangala Stadium (Bangkok).

Evaluating the opponents in Group B, Coach Kim commented that U22 Laos' level is not as good as U22 Malaysia's, but U22 Vietnam still has to prepare carefully for the opening match to aim for the best result, even trying to score many goals to create an advantage.

Meanwhile, Malaysia is considered a difficult challenge for Mr. Kim's students, so the coaching staff needs to analyze this opponent in detail and adjust the squad and tactics accordingly. "I will closely follow the match between Laos and Malaysia to perfect the plan for the final match," said coach Kim Sang-sik.

With a carefully selected force and a long-term preparation process, U22 Vietnam aims to win the 33rd SEA Games gold medal. According to the plan, Coach Kim's team will move from Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok on December 1.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/hlv-kim-sang-sik-tiep-tuc-loai-cau-thu-viet-kieu-truoc-them-sea-games-33-19625113012252414.htm