U22 Vietnam and the bright spots at Panda Cup 2025

Although U22 Vietnam has not made a difference as expected, there are still bright spots after 2 matches at Panda Cup 2025.

Not good yet...

U22 Vietnam does not put much emphasis on achievements at the Panda Cup, because this is a trial tournament to help coach Kim Sang Sik and acting head coach Dinh Hong Vinh review the team, evaluate the performance of each position and try out tactical options.

However, after two matches, U22 Vietnam has not yet made a big difference compared to previous tournaments.

U22 Vietnam has not created much difference compared to previous tournaments.

The defense, especially the gaps on both sides of the team, are facing problems, constantly being exploited by U22 China and U22 Uzbekistan in the last 2 matches. The ability to keep distance and make judgments is also not good, so when the opponents use high ball situations in the goal, U22 Vietnam immediately faces challenges.

In the midfield and the front line, the idea of ​​​​developing the ball is still a long story for U22 Vietnam. The midfield lacks someone who can control the tempo and create passes that tear apart the opponent's defense.

When there were not many opportunities created, the strikers continued to miss them in a rather regrettable way, similar to the U23 Southeast Asia tournament or the U23 Asia qualifiers.

...to the bright spots

Despite many limitations, U22 Vietnam still has positive factors to be optimistic about, and the fighting spirit is the brightest point. The performance against U22 Uzbekistan shows that the team has not given up.

Despite being pressured for most of the time, U22 Vietnam still fought until the last seconds, as shown by Ngoc My's shot that almost brought an equalizer.

However, there are also bright spots that coach Kim Sang Sik's students showed through the two matches at the Panda Cup.

But the most remarkable thing is the physical foundation. This is a rare difference compared to previous U22 teams. Despite having to face two physically superior teams, U22 China and U22 Uzbekistan, Coach Kim Sang Sik's students still maintained their energy until the end of the match.

Players move a lot, compete strongly and maintain high intensity throughout the 90 minutes – an important signal in preparation for major tournaments.

However, in modern football, being "strong and flexible" is not enough. Physical strength can help U22 Vietnam compete and not lose easily, but it does not guarantee victory.

To be able to go far in the U23 Asian Cup finals early next year, coach Kim Sang Sik must help his players play effectively, be sharp in attack and more disciplined in defense.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/u22-viet-nam-va-nhung-diem-sang-tai-panda-cup-2025-2463321.html