QATAR- Despite the big difference in skill level, coach Philippe Troussier believes that the Vietnamese team still has a chance to cause a surprise when playing Japan in the opening match of the 2023 Asian Cup taking place today.
In the opening match, Vietnam will face Japan - the most successful team, with four Asian Cup championships and considered the strongest candidate for the championship, with 20 players playing in Europe. The difference in level between the young team in the hands of Mr. Troussier and the opponent is shown through 77 FIFA rankings - Japan is ranked 17th, while Vietnam is ranked 94th. Japan is also in very good form with a series of 10 wins, including strong results such as 4-1 against Germany, 4-2 Türkiye, 5-0 Syria or 6-1 Jordan, and has only lost one official match since the 2022 World Cup.
However, coach Troussier - who was in charge of the Japanese national teams from 1998 to 2022 - is still very confident. He said: "I have experience working with Japanese football and understand them well. This is a very strong opponent. To get a positive result against Japan, the players must try more than 100%. But I say that does not mean excluding the possibility of surprises. We can play 10 matches and lose up to nine, but can still get a positive result tomorrow, maybe even win."
Coach Troussier at a press conference on January 13 in Doha, Qatar, before the Vietnam - Japan match in the first round of the 2023 Asian Cup group stage. Photo: Lam Thoa
The French coach determined that the Vietnamese team must defend well, try to occupy space and make the most of the smallest opportunities. He said: "We will enter the match with the motto of adapting, and must play fiercely, not allowing the opponent to play confidently. At the 2022 World Cup, Japan also played like that against Germany and Spain. I think they won those matches not because they were strong or overwhelming, but thanks to a more reasonable approach. Japan is very strong and maybe Vietnam only had about 20% possession, but that is still a chance, and we will try to take advantage of it. Of course, we also have to pay attention because the number of goals scored and conceded is also important in deciding the ticket to the next round."
However, coach Troussier believes that Vietnam's journey at the 2023 Asian Cup does not only include the match against Japan. "After the opening match, we still have two more matches. If we do not achieve the desired result against Japan, the door to the knockout round is not closed yet. According to the regulations of the 2023 Asian Cup, the third-placed team with the best performance in the group stage will still have a place to continue," he explained.
The coach also recalled the team's luck in getting through the narrow door to continue at the 2019 Asian Cup. In the UAE more than four years ago, the Vietnamese team under coach Park Hang-seo lost 2-3 to Iraq, 0-2 to Iran, and then beat Yemen 2-0 in the final match to finish third in the group. The team then finished fourth out of the six third-placed teams based on their achievements, and won the final ticket to the knockout round thanks to the fair-play index, with one fewer yellow card than Lebanon.
According to Mr. Troussier, Japan did not have much information about Vietnam before tomorrow's match, but did not consider this a disadvantage or an advantage for him and his students. "The Japanese see success as the result of collective efforts. More than 20 years ago, when I came to work in Japan, I also relied on this characteristic, trying to improve the collective spirit of their teams. Current Vietnamese players also have many similarities, with little experience playing at the top level abroad, but the team also has the basic factor of good connection and coordination. If tomorrow the team has a positive result against Japan, it will not come from any individual, but from the collective achievement. Tomorrow, Japan will know clearly how strong Vietnam is," said the 68-year-old coach.
After taking office in 2023, Coach Troussier strongly reformed the Vietnamese team, using many young faces such as Vo Minh Trong, Nguyen Thai Son, Nguyen Dinh Bac, Le Ngoc Bao.... The absence of a series of pillars such as Dang Van Lam, Doan Van Hau, Nguyen Thanh Chung, Que Ngoc Hai, Nguyen Tien Linh due to injury also opened up opportunities for many other young players to join the team and go to Qatar on this occasion.
At the 2023 Asian Cup, Vietnam has the fourth youngest average age at 25.8 - after Indonesia (24.8), Tajikistan (25) and Kyrgyzstan (25.4). But coach Troussier is not worried about that. He said: "I clearly feel the desire in my students. We understand that the Asian Cup is the most prestigious arena in the continent, attracting public and media attention, and see this as an opportunity to demonstrate our ability and level. The team entered the tournament with good preparation, and will play with pride and dignity representing Vietnam."
Vnexpress.net
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