Vietnam U22 vs Malaysia U22: A major test is needed from coach Kim Sang Sik.

The match with U22 Malaysia is no longer a "life and death" battle at SEA Games 33, so coach Kim Sang Sik needs to try a more flexible and innovative playing style for U22 Vietnam.

Easy surprise match

After a narrow victory over U22 Laos, the door to the semi-finals for U22 Vietnam was still uncertain due to a poor goal difference compared to Malaysia. But a surprise happened in Group C, the Philippines won their second consecutive victory and quickly secured a ticket to the next round to change the situation for coach Kim Sang Sik's team.

Currently, the task of U22 Vietnam suddenly becomes easier than ever, because in theory, just a result not losing to Malaysia is enough to win a ticket to the semi-finals.

U22 Vietnam has a wide open door to the semi-finals of SEA Games 33 even though it has not met U22 Malaysia

This relieves a lot of psychological pressure and allows the U22 Vietnam coaching staff to look at and re-evaluate the team's internal problems. In other words, the match with Malaysia should be seen as a final tactical test before entering the challenging semi-finals.

Need Mr. Kim Sang Sik's test

The stagnation of the Vietnam U22 team in recent matches is not only a matter of individual form, but also a direct consequence of the tactical formation. When the team operates with a 3-center-back formation (or a variant with 5 defenders), the playing style that coach Kim Sang Sik has his team employ becomes very predictable.

The opposition defense is easily predictable when the entire attack seems to focus on just passing the ball out wide and then crossing it in. This monotony leaves the central area empty, lacking the necessary variety and variation.

As a result, forwards often have to operate alone, lacking support and opportunities for small-group coordination. Worse still, when opponents play high-intensity pressing, this formation shows sluggishness in moving the ball forward, leading to easy interceptions and loss of control of the game.

That's why a big test in playing style is needed for U22 Vietnam from coach Kim Sang Sik.

Therefore, coach Kim Sang Sik needs a breakthrough test right in the match against Malaysia with a formation with 4 defenders to bring tactical advantages that U22 Vietnam is seriously lacking.

Firstly, the 4-3-3 formation allows the team to push higher up the pitch, especially by effectively utilizing the two wing-backs to participate deeply in the attack. At the same time, it frees up the central midfielders from defensive duties, allowing them to focus on creating chances, making breakthroughs, and taking shots from the second line – a crucial weapon for breaking down deep-lying defenses.

Second, the 4-3-3 formation offers more flexibility and diversity, as it can create coordination triangles in both the midfield and flank areas, helping U22 Vietnam escape the monotony of the "crossing" tactic that has been predicted.

In short, if they want to win the SEA Games gold medal, the Vietnam U22 team cannot continue playing with a predictable strategy but needs to demonstrate unpredictability in their approach. The match against Malaysia is the last chance for coach Kim Sang Sik to experiment and make changes if he doesn't want to suffer a bitter defeat, even though a semi-final spot is already within reach.

Watch SEA Games 33, side by side with the Vietnamese Sports Delegation, most fully onFPT Play, at: http://fptplay.vn

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/u22-viet-nam-dau-u22-malaysia-can-phep-thu-lon-tu-ong-kim-sang-sik-2470999.html