Vietnam team vs Malaysia: Mental strength alone is not enough

Spirit is the strength of the Vietnamese team, but to defeat Malaysia in the match at 8pm tonight (June 10), coach Kim Sang Sik and his team need more than that.

Mental strength

Before the match against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, the most notable thing about the Vietnamese team was their extremely relaxed mentality, despite the important nature of the match.

Under coach Kim Sang Sik, the Vietnamese team has always shown strength, unity and determination every time they step onto the field. These are also the valuable qualities that helped the Vietnamese team reach the ASEAN Cup championship, especially clearly demonstrated in the pressure-filled second leg final match against Thailand.

Not only mental strength, coach Kim Sang Sik also showed high confidence when he said before the match: " The result depends largely on ourselves. We always focus on our training sessions, and will bring that spirit into the match with Malaysia" .

Determination and fearlessness are the strengths of the Vietnamese team.

But is it enough?

However, spirit alone is not enough for the Vietnamese team to defeat an opponent like Malaysia. Coach Kim Sang Sik's team needs more in terms of tactics, especially the ability to be "hard and soft" at the right time.

The Korean coach must carefully calculate tactics, personnel and how to adjust the game. The Vietnamese team needs a flexible playing style, capable of quickly switching from defense to attack, and vice versa, so as not to be caught up in Malaysia's physical and pressing style.

The defense must show more tenacity, the organization also needs to change, especially when the opponent is pressing and creating continuous pressure. The two wings also need to minimize the gaps for Malaysia to exploit.

But to win, coach Kim Sang Sik will have to use a lot of tricks.

In midfield, Quang Hai, Hoang Duc and Hai Long are all talented midfielders, but to neutralize Malaysia's powerful and fast playing style, these players need better support from their teammates.

Finally, the Vietnamese team also needs sharpness in the attack, the ability to take advantage of opportunities and maintain concentration until the last minutes will be the deciding factor against an experienced and pragmatic Malaysia.

Spirit is always the fulcrum, the fire for players to fight tirelessly. But only when that spirit is enhanced by battle spirit, coolness in finishing and reasonable tactical calculations, can the Vietnamese team think of a good result against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Malaysian newspaper: 'Vietnam without Xuan Son, Cong Phuong is still very dangerous' Malaysia highly appreciates the Vietnamese team despite the absence of two strikers Xuan Son and Cong Phuong, not forgetting to remind the home team that they have not known victory for more than 10 years.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tuyen-viet-nam-dau-malaysia-chi-suc-manh-tinh-than-la-khong-du-2409804.html