QATAR Coach Hoang Anh Tuan highly appreciated the three opponents in Group D of the 2024 AFC U23 Championship finals, but believes that Vietnamese players will overcome and perform at their best.
Coach Hoang Anh Tuan held a press conference before the 2024 AFC U23 Championship group stage on the afternoon of April 16. Photo: Doan Huynh
Coach Hoang Anh Tuan said the whole team is excited to enter the big challenge of the 2024 U23 Asia. "We are ready," he said at a press conference on the afternoon of April 15. "I cannot predict the result, but I hope the whole team will perform at their best."
In Group D, Vietnam will meet Uzbekistan again – the opponent who won 2-1 in the 2018 final, Malaysia – the opponent who lost 0-2 in the 2022 group stage, and the unknown Kuwait in the opening match tomorrow, April 17. According to Mr. Tuan, the group promises to be competitive, with Vietnam and Uzbekistan having reached the final, while the other two teams are not weak.
"The first match against Kuwait is not easy," said the coach of U23 Vietnam. "I want the players to respect their opponents, tell them what they need to do, what they can do, and focus on the match."
Vietnam entered the tournament in Qatar with one of the youngest squads. Mr. Tuan sees the current generation of students as the future of Vietnamese football, wanting them to take advantage of the opportunity to face the continent's top opponents to prove themselves, become professional players and aim for the national team.
Coach Juan Garrido (Malaysia), Emilio Peixe (Kuwait), Hoang Anh Tuan (Vietnam), Timur Kapadze (Uzbekistan) attended a press conference before the opening match of Group D of the 2024 AFC U23 Championship. Photo: Doan Huynh
Coach Emilio Peixe also said that this is a tournament to prepare for the future of Kuwaiti football. But his team will try to play their best and compete with the three remaining opponents. "Vietnam is a strong opponent, they have just changed coaches, but our ambition has not changed," said Coach Peixe. "We will try to play our best and stay in the tournament as long as possible."
The Portuguese coach said Kuwait had just finished a year of preparation for the tournament with a friendly draw against Iraq. However, he admitted that Kuwait lacked experience. This country has only participated in the AFC U23 Championship twice, but stopped in the group stage in 2013 and 2022, and has yet to win a match, with five losses and one draw. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan won the championship in 2018, finished fourth in 2020, and finished second in 2022. Vietnam was runner-up in 2018 and reached the quarter-finals in 2022. Meanwhile, Malaysia also reached the quarter-finals in 2018.
Tomorrow, Vietnam and Kuwait will face off at 10:30 p.m. Hanoi time, while Malaysia will meet Uzbekistan at 8:00 p.m.
Hieu Luong - Vnexpre
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