U22 Vietnam sets aside worries to face Malaysia
"Keep it simple…", these were the instructions heard from the technical cabin of the U22 Vietnam team during their victory over U22 Laos.
1. At this moment, U22 Vietnam needs the most enthusiastic mindset to simplify everything and play a "win-or-lose" match against U22 Malaysia, since U22 Malaysia holds the upper hand after an impressive 4-1 comeback against U22 Laos.
With 3 points and a superior goal difference, U22 Malaysia only needs a draw against U22 Vietnam to advance. This result has forced U22 Vietnam into a position where they must win the direct confrontation in the final round to secure a semifinal spot. The pressure ball has been fully placed on U22 Vietnam.
The 2-1 victory over U22 Laos in the opening matchSEA Games 33earned 3 important points, but U22 Vietnam’s performance was not enough to reassure coach Kim Sang Sik. Despite dominating possession, the forwards wasted many chances, while the defense revealed worrying weaknesses, especially in set-piece situations. This style is expected to face many difficulties against U22 Malaysia, a much more disciplined and pragmatic opponent than U22 Laos.
2. One of the biggest problems for U22 Vietnam right now is the lack of diversity in attacking methods. The team’s play has been criticized for focusing too much on safe ball retention, lacking breakthrough passes in the middle or long-range shots that could resolve deadlocks.
U22 Vietnam must beat U22 Malaysia in the match on December 11 to top Group B. Photo: Tuan Pham
They should have done more, with all the hopeful preparations beforehand, rather than controlling 79% of possession but with little effectiveness. The reason is that no matter how much possession time they have, if dozens of created chances are wasted, it only leads to frustrating complexity. Dominance in play or created chances also becomes meaningless without goals.
The loud shout "keep it simple…" sounded like a tactical command from the U22 Vietnam cabin. However, those instructions have not been transformed by the players into concrete moments on the field. The players "complicate" matters with complicated, confused decisions in situations that require decisiveness and simplicity, like "one shot to finish."
Displaying smooth, rhythmic play like "dragons flying and phoenixes dancing," yet easily falling into impatience and indecision. This is the paradox currently existing in U22 Vietnam.
3. Aware of the importance of the upcoming match, coach Kim Sang Sik and the U22 Vietnam coaching staff have prepared thoroughly. The team shifted training to the morning of December 6 to directly watch U22 Malaysia play at Rajamangala Stadium.
The decision to bring the entire coaching staff and players to Rajamangala Stadium to watch the opponent live is an important tactical step. This not only helps analyze the playing style but also serves as psychological therapy for the players to clearly sense Malaysia’s strength and speed.
Watching the opponent directly gives the coaching staff the most realistic view of their playing style, speed, and tactics, allowing them to develop countermeasures for the decisive match on December 11. This shows the whole team recognizes the "survival" nature of the upcoming confrontation.
Facing a big challenge, the calmness and experience of coach Kim Sang Sik are the greatest support for U22 Vietnam. This is the time when players need to be most alert and resilient to turn tactical analysis on the board and commands from the coaching cabin into a convincing performance on the pitch.
After more than one week of adjustments, hopefully coach Kim Sang Sik has figured out the "right moves."
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