Vietnam U23 loses two key defenders.
Looking back at the semi-final match against China U23, the turning point that led to the collapse of Vietnam U23's defense was when Nguyen Hieu Minh had to leave the field due to a serious injury. Before that, the defense, under the command of the center-back from PVF-CAND Club, operated quite smoothly, neutralizing most of the aerial balls and pressing from the opponent.
However, when Duc Anh was brought on as a substitute, the rhythm immediately soured. The goals conceded by the Vietnam U23 team stemmed from: positional errors, a lack of communication between the central defenders, and a noticeable decline in aerial ball control. This highlights the fact that, despite their efforts, the reserve defenders still lack the necessary maturity, both in terms of technical skill and ability to handle pressure, to perfectly replace the key players.
Hieu Minh (number 4) tore his ligament and is expected to take more than 6 months to recover.
PHOTO: TED TRAN
When a crucial link like Hieu Minh breaks, the "domino effect" causes chaos throughout the entire system. Ly Duc receiving a red card due to psychological distress and resulting impulsive behavior is also seen as an indirect consequence.
Vietnam U23 returns to training, boosting morale for the third-place match against South Korea U23.
The match against South Korea U23 on the night of January 23rd is predicted to be a challenge for Coach Kim Sang-sik's team. Difficulties are piling up as Nguyen Hieu Minh has officially withdrawn from the tournament with a torn ligament diagnosis, a loss that will be difficult to compensate for for Vietnam U23 both professionally and mentally. Furthermore, Pham Ly Duc is also suspended after receiving a direct red card, leaving Coach Kim Sang-sik without his most powerful defensive midfielder.
Ly Duc was suspended for receiving a direct red card in the semi-final.
PHOTO: TED TRAN
Having lost his most reliable and effective central defensive pairing, coach Kim Sang-sik is in a difficult situation. Meanwhile, the South Korean U23 team, with its physically superior players and diverse attacking style, will surely exploit the weaknesses that were already evident in the Vietnamese U23 team's performance in the semi-final.
Faced with this difficult situation, coach Kim Sang-sik is forced to find solutions to "patch up" the defense. If prioritizing defense, he could consider switching to a formation with 4 center-backs or 5 full-backs (with 2 wing-backs who are better at defending). This is a safe option given the uneven quality of defensive personnel. Adding more players to the defense will help the U23 Vietnam team's defensive system provide better cover. A dense, low-lying defense will minimize the space for the South Korean strikers to exploit.
Watch the entire 2026 AFC U23 Asian Championship on TV360 at https://tv360.vn. Enjoy a smooth multi-platform experience, rewind and replay, and free Viettel 4G/5G data.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/u23-viet-nam-gap-kho-hlv-kim-sang-sik-phai-lieu-com-gap-mam-don-tri-luc-danh-bai-han-quoc-185260122123020001.htm
Comment (0)