The new schedule of men's football SEA Games and U.23 Vietnam: Winning gold thanks to 'weird' quality

RICH COMBAT EXPERIENCE

Previously, there was rarely a time when U.23 Vietnam attended the SEA Games with such a wealth of experience as the current generation of players.

Coach Kim Sang-sik's players have been continuously "baked" with high intensity in the V-League. This was almost unthinkable in previous tournaments. Recent SEA Games often witnessed a difference in the U.23 Vietnam squad, when a few key players would play the role of carrying the rest. That difference often makes it difficult for the team in high-pressure matches that require a strong mentality.

During the period of winning 2 consecutive gold medals at the 30th SEA Games in 2019 and the 31st SEA Games in 2022, it is not too much to say that U.22 +2 Vietnam has relied heavily on over-aged players such as Do Hung Dung, Nguyen Trong Hoang, and Nguyen Tien Linh. In the most recent congress in 2023, when coach Philippe Troussier's team only won a bronze medal in Cambodia, the Vietnamese team at that time was mostly players playing in the first division, or had just been promoted to the first team of their home club but had very few minutes on the field.

FPT Play broadcasts live all matches of men's football at SEA Games 33

Khuat Van Khang is the mainstay of U.23 Vietnam at SEA Games 33

PHOTO: NGOC DUONG

Commentator Ngo Quang Tung assessed that experience is the most outstanding point of the U.23 Vietnam team participating in this SEA Games. All the young players of U.23 Vietnam have played in the V-League and especially have played regularly. The V-League is a good environment for young players to hone their skills and become more mature. Previously, the Vietnamese teams participating in the SEA Games have never been so uniform. The "breathless" away matches at the "fire pans", the uncompromising derby matches or the 90 minutes of tense score chases... have created seasoned warriors. The U.23 Vietnam team has thus become rich in real-life experience. The young players are thrown into real contexts, endure real impacts... thanks to which they have a "weird" style of play and competitive spirit.

Three men's football groups at SEA Games 33

Photo: FPT Play

Besides the equal force in terms of expertise and experience, what makes U.23 Vietnam highly appreciated is the careful preparation process before SEA Games 33. Commentator Quang Tung pointed out: "From the U.23 Southeast Asia tournament, 2 friendly matches with U.23 Qatar to Panda Cup 2025 - where there are strong opponents such as U.23 Korea, Uzbekistan, China have helped U.23 Vietnam players gain enough experience. After that, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will train in Ba Ria Ward (HCMC), practicing under weather conditions similar to Thailand. This generation of U.23 Vietnam has been invested in and prepared very thoroughly, so we have the right to think about the SEA Games gold medal". U.23 Vietnam will travel to Thailand on December 1 to officially enter the campaign to conquer SEA Games 33.

GROUP STAGE IS NOT EASY

U.23 Vietnam is in a group of 3 teams, meeting U.23 Laos (December 4), then facing U.23 Malaysia (December 11).

Match schedule of U.23 Vietnam in the group stage

Photo: FPT PLAY

Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team are highly rated and the task of winning the top spot is mandatory. However, Khuat Van Khang and his teammates are expected to face many difficulties. In particular, the opponent of U.23 Vietnam in the opening match of SEA Games 33 - U.23 Laos is not easy to defeat. Commentator Quang Tung commented: "The U.23 Laos players are also national team players. The team of the million elephants used almost all young players to play against the Vietnam team in the match of the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup. And it was not until nearly 70 minutes of that match that the Vietnam team scored the opening goal. Therefore, things will not be simple for coach Kim Sang-sik's team in the opening match of this regional sports festival".

The Lao national team when facing the Vietnamese team on November 19 had nearly half of the players born after 2004. Notably, Korean coach Ha Hyeok-jun used 7 players under 21 years old in the starting lineup when facing coach Kim Sang-sik and his team. This shows that Lao football also has serious preparations for the SEA Games arena, when prioritizing opportunities for young players to gain experience.

Meanwhile, Malaysia is always considered a tough opponent of Vietnam in every tournament in the region. Head coach Nafuzi Zain confidently declared: "U.23 Malaysia has determined its first goal is to defeat the main opponent in the group - U.23 Vietnam, thereby getting a ticket to the semi-finals, before trying to advance to the final match". The U.23 Malaysia squad preparing for the 33rd SEA Games has a naturalized player, Fergus Tierney (of Scottish origin). Another notable face is defender Ubaidullah Shamsul (Terengganu FC), who has played for the Malaysian national team 4 times.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/lich-thi-dau-bong-da-nam-sea-games-va-u23-viet-nam-cuc-moi-gianh-vang-nho-chat-quai-185251125000142537.htm