Winning U23 Guam was too easy, U23 Vietnam must not be subjective

Vietnam U23 started their journey in the 2024 AFC U23 Championship qualifiers with a 6-0 victory over Guam U23. However, this match is unlikely to be a clear basis for assessing the home team's strength, effectiveness, and smoothness in their playing style. Guam U23's opponent is too weak.

In fact, U23 Vietnam has not been activated to play at the highest standard. They only need to pass correctly and shoot accurately in a basic way to score goals, without needing any more variations or moves that require higher thinking. The away team also did not have any attacks to test U23 Vietnam's ability to defend, counter-attack, and withstand pressure.

U23 Vietnam 6-0 U23 Guam

The victory over U23 Guam was like a warm-up, creating a rhythm for the players. At the same time, Nguyen Thai Son and his teammates also gained more confidence before the next matches. However, this state also has risks that coach Philippe Troussier needs to control. It was this coach who was the first to "pour cold water" on his students with post-match reminders about staying alert.

"There will definitely be a lot of criticism because the players could have scored more goals. I completely agree with that. With the number of chances created, we could have had 3-4 more goals. If we were more alert, the players could have done better," the head coach of U23 Vietnam said at the press conference after the match.

In fact, the number of 6 goals does not necessarily reflect the effectiveness of the U23 Vietnam strikers. Coach Troussier's students only scored 1 goal in the first half. Of the remaining 5 goals, 2 were penalties, 3 were scored after the 75th minute, when the opponent no longer had the strength to run on the field.

U23 Vietnam did not encounter many difficulties against U23 Guam. (Photo: Kim Chi)

Van Tung and his teammates had a few situations where they were not ready to shoot, so they put themselves in a favorable position and posture, and limited their shooting angles and other options. In some other situations, the problem was haste leading to careless shots.

U23 Yemen is still an unknown for U23 Vietnam. Therefore, it is uncertain whether the home team can create many opportunities against this opponent like the first match. It should be noted that with the format of the 2024 AFC U23 qualifiers, goals are very important because this is the first sub-index considered when comparing two teams with the same points.

In addition to scoring, Mr. Troussier also conveyed another message of reminder to the players in the press conference after the match with U23 Guam. No player is certain to be in the U23 Vietnam squad at this time.

In the opening match, the French coach still used the same squad from SEA Games 32, only replacing goalkeeper Nguyen Van Viet in Quan Van Chuan's position and Vo Hoang Minh Khoa in place of Le Quoc Nhat Nam/Huynh Cong Den in the midfield. However, that does not mean that the main players are sure to have a place.

"No player is certain. Today, they may be the best choice, they may be the right choice, but the future is not certain," said coach Troussier.

Overall, after yesterday's easy victory (September 6), U23 Vietnam needs to stay alert and focused. The match with U23 Yemen is an important challenge, a pivotal match for Coach Troussier and his team.

Han Phong

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