The Vietnamese national team lost to the Iraqi national team 2-3 in the final seconds. (Photo: WS)
"Waiting for the Vietnamese national team to reveal their weaknesses so we can correct them" – This was the prominent statement of coach Philippe Troussier ahead of the FIFA Days matches in October 2023, as he prepared for friendly matches against China, Uzbekistan, and South Korea.
Since then, errors have become a recurring theme throughout the Vietnamese national team's performances. Coach Philippe Troussier's team has lost 8 matches and only won 1, conceding 21 goals, receiving 4 red cards, and scoring 7 goals. Errors have been present in every single match.
Specifically at the 2023 Asian Cup, the Vietnamese national team lost all three group stage matches, conceding 8 goals, receiving 2 red cards, and scoring 7 goals.
Following a series of mistakes in friendly matches and World Cup 2026 qualifiers, Nguyen Filip missed the ball with a punch against Japan, Nguyen Thanh Binh conceded a penalty, and Le Pham Thanh Long received a red card against Indonesia.
The series of errors by the Vietnamese national team reached its peak in the match against the Iraqi national team.
Van Khang was sent off after receiving two unnecessary yellow cards. (Photo: WS)
Against an opponent's "B team" that had already secured qualification as group winners, the Vietnamese team created a back-and-forth game and scored with their first shot on target. Bui Hoang Viet Anh found the net against Iraq after a free kick from Khuat Van Khang in the 42nd minute.
However, Khuat Van Khang unexpectedly received a second yellow card after a foul in the 45+2 minute, leaving the Vietnamese team with only 10 players on the field. Prior to that, Khuat Van Khang had already received his first yellow card for simulation in the 6th minute and for offside, which resulted in Vietnam losing a goal in the 18th minute.
Playing with a man down, the Vietnamese team struggled to cope when the Iraqi team brought on their main players in the second half. Rebin Sulaka (47') and Aymen Hussein (73') both headed the ball into Nguyen Filip's net.
After working at full capacity, Bui Hoang Viet Anh earned a penalty in the 81st minute, but Aymen Hussein's shot hit the post.
Having narrowly avoided conceding a goal, the Vietnamese national team seemed poised to pull off a surprise and return home with their heads held high when Quang Hải equalized 2-2 in the 90+1 minute.
Quang Hai scored an emotional goal against the Iraqi national team. (Photo: WS)
A single goal offered a glimmer of hope to soothe an otherwise forgettable tournament and evoke fond memories, as Facebook continuously reminded people of the Changzhou miracle in its "On this day" section.
Quang Hai scored alongside familiar faces from the Vietnamese national team, including Nguyen Van Toan, Do Hung Dung, Do Duy Manh, Vu Van Thanh, and two key players who won the SEA Games 31 gold medal: Bui Hoang Viet Anh and Nguyen Thanh Binh. Furthermore, "spirit" and "effort" stood out more than "tactics" or "philosophy".
However, just as the old values of the Vietnamese national team were about to bring them a point, the problem of making mistakes became a major concern in the final seconds.
Vo Minh Trong conceded a penalty, Aymen Hussein successfully converted it, and the Vietnamese national team suffered a bitter 2-3 defeat.
The consistent mistakes made by individual players over the past period highlight the instability of the Vietnamese national team's playing style. Coach Philippe Troussier's wish has been granted as he hoped for errors from the Vietnamese team, but it remains to be seen when he will be able to rectify these issues and create a complete playing style.
Minh Trọng conceded a penalty, and the Vietnam national team finished the 2023 Asian Cup without a single point. (Photo: WS)
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