Before the match, coach Kim Sang Sik confidently declared: "No matter what, the Vietnam U22 team will defeat the Philippines and secure a place in the SEA Games 33 final." This was not only a motivational message for the players, but also showed that the Vietnam U22 team was well-prepared for the semi-final match against the Philippines U22 team.

At this year's SEA Games, the Vietnam U22 team started with a hard-fought victory against Laos U22 (2-1), but then convincingly defeated Malaysia U22 2-0 in the final group stage match.

Not only have the young players improved professionally, but they have also shown resilience and a strong mentality, even when they were at a disadvantage compared to their opponents in the "final" group stage match against U22 Malaysia.

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The U22 Vietnam team entered the match with the highest fighting spirit. Photo: SN

This is the basis for coach Kim Sang Sik's belief in a victory for the Vietnam U22 team in the semi-finals. However, along with this strong statement, the South Korean strategist instructed his players to prepare multiple strategies, both offensive and defensive, ready to play a fair game.

The U22 Philippines team brought many tall, physically imposing naturalized players to the SEA Games. This team caused a surprise by defeating the defending champions, U22 Indonesia, in the group stage. Therefore, the South Korean coach and his players have the utmost respect for the U22 Philippines team.

However, it's clear that the Vietnam U22 team is not intimidated by their opponents. In recent days, Dinh Bac and his teammates have been actively practicing attacking drills, improving their finishing ability as well as the accuracy of their final passes.

In defense, the Vietnam U22 team practiced defending against aerial balls and intercepting from a distance to limit the crosses from the Philippines U22 team. In particular, Khuất Văn Khang demonstrated quick transitions, creating a proactive style of play.

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U22 Vietnam confident of victory. Photo: SN

In their most recent encounter at the Southeast Asian U23 Championship, Coach Kim Sang Sik's team won 2-1 against the Philippines. However, at this SEA Games, both teams have undergone changes, and the Vietnam U22 team will need to play their best to achieve victory.

Coach Kim Sang Sik will likely field an attacking formation, while still ensuring defensive solidity. If the Vietnam U22 team wants to defeat their opponent within the 90 minutes of regular time, they need to create significant pressure, execute an effective playing style, and most importantly, score a goal.

Predicted starting lineup for Vietnam U23 : Trung Kien; Ly Duc, Hieu Minh, Nhat Minh, Minh Phuc, Xuan Bac, Thai Son, Phi Hoang, Van Khang, Viktor Le, Dinh Bac.

Watch SEA Games 33, stand alongside the Vietnamese Sports Delegation, in its entirety onFPT Play, at: http://fptplay.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nhan-dinh-u22-viet-nam-vs-philipines-15h30-ngay-15-12-2472370.html