Vietnam U23 team should not forget the advantage of aerial attacks.

The effective weapon of the Vietnam U.23 team.

When they won the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, the Vietnam U23 team won all four matches, scoring eight goals, including four from powerful aerial attacks. This stemmed from the impressive physique of the Vietnam U23 team. At the 33rd SEA Games, except for Van Truong who was absent due to injury, the Vietnam U23 team had 10 players taller than 1.80m, including three goalkeepers Tran Trung Kien and Nguyen Tan (both 1.91m) and Cao Van Binh (1.84m); defenders Le Van Ha (1.84m), Pham Ly Duc (1.82m), Nguyen Hieu Minh (1.85m), and Dang Tuan Phong (1.80m); midfielder Le Viktor (1.80m), forward Nguyen Dinh Bac (1.80m), and newcomer Quang Kiet (1.95m).

Vietnam U23 team should not forget the tactic of attacking from aerial duels - Photo 1.

Vietnam U23 has many advantages to effectively exploit aerial attacks - PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG

Besides their consistent technical and tactical skills, as well as their individual playing styles, the most outstanding characteristic of the current Vietnam U23 team compared to previous generations is their superior physique. Coach Kim has no shortage of aerial specialists who have scored goals in the V-League, the Vietnam U23 team, or the senior national team, such as Ly Duc, Hieu Minh, Dinh Bac, Quang Kiet… We also have good free-kick takers like Quoc Viet, Xuan Bac, Van Khang, Le Viktor…

In the fierce competition for the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games, the Vietnam U23 team needs to effectively exploit set pieces to create breakthroughs. In the group stage, the Vietnam U23 team will face the "double-decker bus" defenses of Laos (December 4th) and Malaysia (December 11th). Clearly, well-executed long ball attacks will be a very promising option.

Vietnam U23 team should not forget the tactic of attacking from aerial duels - Photo 2.

Another noteworthy detail is that in the recent Panda Cup 2025 friendly tournament in China, the Vietnam U23 team conceded two goals, both from aerial attacks, due to a lack of concentration in the defense. Coach Kim needs to spend even more time honing his players' skills in both attacking with aerial balls and defending against opponents' aerial attacks.

The tactic of playing long balls proved effective at the Southeast Asian U23 Championship but was somewhat overlooked in the 2026 Asian U23 Championship qualifiers. Hopefully, at the 33rd SEA Games, fans can feel secure whenever opponents cross the ball into the penalty area. Conversely, Coach Kim Sang-sik's team can frequently "unlock" the game from set pieces and situations utilizing long balls. This is especially important, as the Vietnamese U23 team's playing style has undoubtedly been thoroughly studied by opponents after their recent impressive performances.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/u23-viet-nam-dung-lang-quen-mieng-danh-tu-khong-chien-185251125000639995.htm