Hai Long and Van Vi scored early in the first half, helping Vietnam take a 2-0 lead. Cambodia rose strongly after the break and shortened the score thanks to Bong Samuel's goal, but coach Kim Sang Sik's team still maintained the 2-1 victory. A satisfactory result to prepare for the match against Laos in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup.
After the friendly match, Coach Kim Sang Sik spoke frankly about his players' performance. He emphasized the goal of keeping the team stable to best prepare for the upcoming match with Laos.
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“In the first half, we used a fairly stable lineup and the players performed exactly as we had prepared. Hai Long opened the scoring and Van Vi scored again. However, in the second half, we encountered some difficulties in transitioning and some of the substitute positions did not really meet the requirements. Therefore, Cambodia had opportunities to score. Honestly, I am not completely satisfied with this result” – Coach Kim Sang Sik said.
Regarding the situation of replacing Hoang Duc, the Korean coach explained: “Coaches are always worried when players are hurt on the field, and Hoang Duc’s case is no exception. When he slipped and hurt, I had to replace Duc to ensure his best physical condition, because Hoang Duc is an important player of the Vietnam team.”
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Explaining the decision to take Viet Hung off the field early, coach Kim Sang Sik said: “I noticed that Trieu Viet Hung had not achieved the same stable performance as when he was training. Perhaps he was too eager to compete, leading to his physical condition not being at its best. Therefore, I decided to take him off early. However, the presence of Van Vi afterwards helped the team's playing style become more stable.”
When asked about not using many young players in the first half, coach Kim Sang Sik explained: “I want to keep the squad stable to best prepare for the upcoming match against Laos. The match against Cambodia is also an opportunity for young players to observe, analyze and gain experience. In the future, they will have other opportunities.”
The home match, in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup between Vietnam and Laos, will take place at 7:30 p.m. on March 25, 2025, at Go Dau Stadium, Binh Duong.
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