AFF Cup 2024: Opportunity for Vietnam team to overcome Indonesia

Coach Kim Sang-sik and his assistant closely watched Indonesia's performance to map out a path to victory for the Vietnamese team in the match between the two teams on December 15 at Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho).

INDONESIA'S LACK

The 3-3 draw against Laos was a painful fall for the Indonesian team, right before coach Shin Tae-yong and his team entered the decisive match against Vietnam at Viet Tri Stadium at 8:00 p.m. on December 15. However, Indonesia's problems did not wait until the match against Laos to be revealed, but right from the opening match against Myanmar, Mr. Shin's students revealed shortcomings in the way they operated their playing style. With a group of players who are even young enough to play in the SEA Games next year, the lack of both experience and courage is a weakness, making Indonesia a disjointed, disjointed team and unable to keep a "cool" head even when facing weaker opponents. The Indonesian team defended loosely, easily being outplayed by opponents in one-touch passing situations because they could not ensure the team's distance. On the attack line, Indonesia was not more impressive. 3 out of 4 goals scored by the archipelago team so far came from Arhan's throw-ins, while the remaining goal came from a corner kick. This means that coach Shin Tae-yong's students have not been able to create any live ball combinations that lead to goals since the beginning of the tournament. This statistic also reflects Indonesia's attacking ability, when players often rely on speed and technique to get past players to create breakthroughs, instead of having a stable rhythm and coherent coordination.

Vietnam team (22) is capable of taking all 3 points against Indonesia

PHOTO: NGOC LINH

When only one naturalized player (Rafael Struick) is left in the AFF Cup 2024, nothing can cover up Indonesia's shortcomings. The "domestic" force of the archipelago team needs a lot of time to meet Mr. Shin's standards.

BE CAREFUL OF THE GUEST TEAM'S YOUTH

The Vietnamese team has all the advantages before the decisive match on the evening of December 15. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team have 3 more days off, do not have to travel continuously, and are familiar with the weather conditions and the Viet Tri field. Compared to Indonesia's young force, the Vietnamese team has a squad of experienced stars, including Quang Hai, Tien Linh, Hoang Duc and Duy Manh who have all participated in the AFF Cup at least 2 or 3 times. Understanding and adaptability in the AFF Cup are the fulcrum for Mr. Kim and his team to overcome the Indonesian curve.

After 2 matches, Indonesia's strengths and weaknesses have been closely monitored and analyzed by Mr. Kim's coaching staff. The Korean coach admitted that the Vietnamese team had studied Indonesia before the tournament to find a way to neutralize the opponent. With thorough preparation, the door to victory will be more open for Vietnam.

However, the match at Viet Tri Stadium will not be easy for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team. As mentioned, Indonesia is very young, and youth always comes with unpredictability. The team from the archipelago may play poorly against Laos and will be without mainstay Marselino Ferdinan in the match against Vietnam. However, the team that relies heavily on the inspiration that Mr. Shin has trained can play extremely well when reaching a favorable psychological point.

Against an unpredictable opponent, the Vietnamese team needs discipline and steadfastness. Instead of being subjective and caught up in Indonesia's style of play, Mr. Kim's students need to enter the game firmly. The defense must be more tight and disciplined than what they showed against Laos, to prevent Indonesia's preemptive strike. With the advantage of physical strength, the Vietnamese team can play cautiously, "lead" the opponent into a stalemate, then deliver the finishing blow when the opponent loses patience and reveals an opening.

The call-up of experienced central defenders like Duy Manh, Thanh Chung, Thanh Binh, and Viet Anh shows that Mr. Kim only needs "pure" defenders to maintain a solid defensive fortress. On the offensive line, fast and technical strikers like Quang Hai, Vi Hao, and Van Toan will have more freedom to perform, as Indonesia often pushes up their formation, leaving gaps behind.

If the match against Laos was an exercise in ball control and attack, the match against Indonesia will be a test of the perseverance and competitive spirit of coach Kim Sang-sik and his team.

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/aff-cup-2024-co-hoi-cho-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-khac-che-indonesia-185241213210148599.htm