Vietnam team conceded the fewest goals in AFF Cup 2024, why is Dinh Trieu still criticized?

Every time he is named in the starting lineup of the Vietnamese team at the AFF Cup 2024, Nguyen Dinh Trieu has to face a lot of doubts. There is always a comparison between the goalkeeper born in 1991 and his teammate Nguyen Filip - who is considered the number one goalkeeper of the Vietnamese team without Dang Van Lam.

Nguyen Filip is still rated higher, but he is only the second option for the Vietnamese team in the 2024 AFF Cup. After two consecutive matches of this goalkeeper - against strong opponents in the group, Indonesia and the Philippines - many people probably thought that Dinh Trieu entered the field just to "solve the regime".

Vietnam team 2-1 Thailand

However, the reality turned out to be different. Coach Kim Sang-sik confirmed that Dinh Trieu is the number 1 of the Vietnamese team. What is the reason that the goalkeeper of the team ranked third from the bottom in the V.League, conceding the third most goals in the whole tournament, is the main goalkeeper instead of the one who was called up to the Czech Republic national team?

Coach Kim Sang-sik choosing Dinh Trieu because he speaks Vietnamese better than Nguyen Filip sounds unconvincing in terms of expertise. Although communication between goalkeepers and defenders is very important, this factor is difficult to quantify. What is good communication and how it has a specific impact, only the coaching staff can understand.

For Dinh Trieu, the only way to prove his worthiness is through his performance on the field. However, the Hai Phong goalkeeper started the AFF Cup 2024 with a mistake in the exact factor considered a weakness compared to Nguyen Filip - that is, the safety when handling the ball with his feet.

The doubts about Dinh Trieu have therefore become even greater. The 31-year-old goalkeeper has still been given the chance to return to the squad to demonstrate his ability. In the rare occasions when he has the chance to show his talent, Dinh Trieu still does well. His save with his fingertips in the first leg of the semi-final against Singapore, when the score was 0-0, was no different from a goal.

Coach Kim Sang-sik chose Dinh Trieu as the main goalkeeper of the Vietnam team.

Unfortunately, he rarely had the chance to show off his talent in the matches he played. Even Thailand - the team with the strongest attack in the tournament - only had 3 shots on target in the match against Vietnam on the evening of January 2.

In 5 matches as a starting goalkeeper at the AFF Cup 2024, Dinh Trieu only faced a total of 18 shots on target from opposing players, an average of 3.6 times/match. Except for the first goal conceded which was a penalty from a wrong pass, the remaining 2 goals conceded by Dinh Trieu were all difficult plays and no one could blame the goalkeeper.

There are not many signs of Dinh Trieu's excellence. However, the reason is not because he is bad, but because no opponent has been able to put enough pressure on the Vietnamese team. This is probably also an important fact for coach Kim Sang-sik to prioritize communication.

When the defense is not facing constant threats, and the Vietnamese team does not need the goalkeeper to pass the ball to the defenders, the difference between Nguyen Filip and Dinh Trieu in terms of skills is not clearly revealed. The Vietnamese team only needs to not make mistakes, not lose connection in the defense. Dinh Trieu's communication ability ensures that better.

Up to now, coach Kim Sang-sik's calculations have not had any problems. The Vietnamese team has conceded the fewest goals in the tournament (4 goals) despite being one of the two teams that have played the most matches.

However, it should be emphasized that coach Kim Sang-sik's choice of Dinh Trieu does not mean that he underestimates Filip. Remember that Nguyen Filip started in the two matches considered the most difficult for the Vietnamese team in the group stage, against Indonesia and the Philippines. Therefore, even if coach Kim Sang-sik chose Filip to play in the second leg of the final - when Thailand will likely use all their attacking power - it would not be a surprise.