U22 Vietnam 1-1 Laos: Unexpected loss

On the afternoon of December 3, U22 Vietnam opened the score but was equalized after a messy play.

After the opening whistle, U22 Vietnam rushed to attack and had the first chance in the 13th minute. After a chaotic situation, Thanh Nhan tried to jump up to shoot but the ball went weak and was caught by the Lao goalkeeper.

The first half passed with the initiative belonging to U22 Vietnam. The ball almost only rolled on the Laos field but the white-shirted army could not find a gap between the opponent's multi-layered defense.

U22 Vietnam has not created any truly dangerous opportunities. Photo: Minh Chien (from Bangkok).

In the 26th minute, U22 Vietnam had their first notable attack. From Khuat Van Khang's cross, Nguyen Dinh Bac headed the ball in a difficult position, forcing goalkeeper Lokphathip to work hard to save the goal.

After conceding the goal, U22 Laos rose up strongly and unexpectedly equalized just 7 minutes later. The U22 Vietnam defense played complacently, creating an opportunity for number 17, Khampane, to shoot close to the goal, not giving Tran Trung Kien a chance to block.

No. 7 of U22 Vietnam did not have to regret for long. Just 3 minutes later, Dinh Bac put the ball into the net after a precise close-range shot. The creator was Pham Minh Phuc, another player of CAHN.

"The opening match of the 33rd SEA Games for U22 Vietnam will not be easy," said head coach Kim Sang-sik about his opponent. Indeed, at this congress, U22 Laos brought a good force, with the core being a young national team of players, eager to show themselves.

The strength of this generation of players was proven through the recent series of matches against the Vietnam national team in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Khounthoumphone, Xaysombath, Okham Latsachack,... had quite good performances, causing difficulties for the Vietnam national team's attack and had to rely on individual mistakes to open the score.

U22 players warm up. Photo: Minh Chien (from Bangkok).

In the match taking place this afternoon, Laos will likely continue to demonstrate a defensive style of play, patiently waiting for the opportunity to launch a counterattack. Therefore, U22 Vietnam needs to be especially careful in defense and make the most of opportunities on the offensive front. Any mistake can cause the "Golden Star Warriors" to encounter difficulties, because only the top team in each group has the right to go straight to the semi-finals of men's football.

The key nature of the opening match forces coach Kim Sang-sik and his players to maintain maximum concentration, because a favorable start not only means points but also helps relieve pressure and create psychological momentum for the match with Malaysia in the final match.

List of players on the field of the Vietnam U22 team. Photo: VFF.

Source: https://znews.vn/u22-viet-nam-1-1-lao-ban-thua-bat-ngo-post1608140.html