Continue to improve finishing

VHO - Although they have "harvested" the maximum number of points, what the Vietnamese team showed in the two wins against the Nepal team still makes fans and experts worried.

The "Golden Star Warriors" still show high fighting spirit, but there are still many problems in the playing style that force the players and coaching staff to change and improve if they want to complete the goal of reaching the 2027 Asian Cup finals.

The Vietnamese team needs to further improve their finishing.

Low conversion rate

The narrow victory over Nepal helped Vietnam gain three important points to keep alive their hopes of competing for the top spot in Group F with Malaysia. However, this hard-fought victory continued to expose a difficult problem, which is the poor finishing ability of the players.

Facing a much weaker opponent, the “Golden Star Warriors” created a series of clear scoring opportunities, but could only win thanks to… an own goal by a Nepalese defender. What is more worrying is that the players’ mentality was affected by the “thirst for goals”. Many situations showed that the Vietnamese strikers tended to act hastily, lacking composure and optimal choices. A few good chances were missed just because the shot was too weak, or the finish was inaccurate at close range.

Statistics show that the Vietnamese team created 19 shots in the whole match (nearly 10 times higher than their opponents), of which 10 were on target but did not score any goals. Notably, Tien Linh, Thanh Nhan and Dinh Bac each hit the post once, Van Vi had two good chances in the penalty area but both missed, and Duc Chien and Gia Hung also had chances at the end of the match but could not take advantage.

The slippery pitch and wet ball due to the heavy rain before the match may have affected the quality of the game, but this is only part of the problem. Playing at home, creating a dominant position and many good chances like that but the players could not score a goal, that is really the problem.

In the first leg 5 days ago, the Vietnamese team controlled the ball over 70%, launched 24 shots but only scored 3 goals, of which 2 goals came when the opponent played with one less player in the second half. It is worth mentioning that when the third goal was scored in the middle of the second half, the home team played on 2/3 of the field, with 4 strikers: Tien Linh, Thanh Nhan, Gia Hung and Dinh Bac, creating terrible pressure on the opponent's goal but were unable to score.

Of the 9 goals scored in 4 matches in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup by the Vietnamese team, 4 were scored by defensive players, of which Van Vi - a full-back, is the player with the most goals (3 goals). Tien Linh - who is considered by coach Kim Sang-sik as the team's number 1 target striker - has only scored 1 goal, Hai Long also has a similar record, while Tuan Hai has not scored any goals. The remaining scorers are Quang Hai, Ngoc Quang - who cannot participate in this training session and Xuan Manh - a central defender.

After the return match with Nepal, coach Kim Sang-sik frankly admitted this problem of the team. The Korean strategist affirmed that the team will continue to improve the finishing and test more personnel for the missing positions: "After the first match with Nepal, we focused on improving the ability to take advantage of opportunities and handle the final third of the field. In the next training session, I will continue to find ways to help players finish more effectively, and at the same time consider adding more factors for the necessary positions."

Young players need to perform better

Coach Kim Sang-sik called up 8 young faces of the U23 team to play 2 matches with Nepal including: Tran Trung Kien, Khuat Van Khang, Nguyen Hieu Minh, Nguyen Xuan Bac, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Phi Hoang, Nguyen Nhat Minh and Nguyen Dinh Bac. The presence of this group of young players has brought a new breeze and more tactical options to the team, thereby helping them to better prepare for the 33rd SEA Games and the 2026 AFC U23 Championship.

In the first leg at Go Dau Stadium, coach Kim Sang-sik sent Gia Hung, Dinh Bac and Thanh Nhan onto the field in the second half. In the second leg, Mr. Kim sent Trung Kien, Thanh Nhan and Hieu Minh to start from the beginning, then sent Gia Hung and Van Khang onto the field in the second half. Thus, only Xuan Bac, Phi Hoang and Nhat Minh were not on the field.

The common point of the players when entering the field is that they always play with all their might, showing the enthusiasm of youth, trying to integrate well with their seniors and trying to score points with the coaching staff. However, it must be frankly admitted that no U23 player left a strong impression in the last 2 matches.

There are many reasons such as the ability to integrate, playing time on the field and maybe also tactics. Playing against a weak opponent like Nepal is a great opportunity for young players to show their ability. There are very few opportunities like this in the national team, but it seems that the U23 players have not grasped it well. "I am satisfied with the spirit and effort of the young players, but they still need more time to mature. Every match at the national team level is a big lesson," said coach Kim Sang-sik.

Coach Kim Sang-sik’s decision to give the U23 team a chance to join the national team is the right move in the generational transition process. This is a golden time for young talents to hone their skills and learn from their seniors.

However, the opportunity is only truly meaningful when they know how to grasp it and show the difference with their performance and professional attitude. For the young U23 players, this is not only a valuable experience, but also a test of their mettle and desire to contribute. They need to show more to not only be "future replacements", but also become current factors to help the Vietnamese team aim for a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup Finals with confidence and youthfulness.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/the-thao/tiep-tuc-cai-thien-khau-dut-diem-175280.html