Laos coach says something surprising, revealing talented players who will cause trouble for Vietnam

Laos has high hopes for new players playing abroad.

At the 2024 AFF Cup, the Laos team lost 1-4 to the Vietnam team in the group stage. However, after that match, coach Ha Hyeok-jun's team may have somewhat recognized the Vietnam team. At the same time, compared to the Southeast Asian Football Championship a few months ago, the team from the land of a million elephants has added important personnel.

Coach Ha Hyeok-jun of the Laos team visited Binh Duong a few weeks ago.

Photo: KHA HOA

Notably, among the new recruits of the Lao national team, preparing for the match with the Vietnamese national team in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, there are 3 Lao players who are currently playing in Europe and the US. These players include central defender Victor Ngovinassack (currently playing for Is-Selongey Football Club, France), midfielder Roman Angot (SV Linx Club, Germany) and striker Theo Klein (Omaha Mavericks Club, USA).

These players form a new "vertical axis" (center back - central midfielder - center forward) for the Laos team. They made their debut in the recent match against Sri Lanka, gradually getting used to the atmosphere of the Laos team in the FIFA Days matches, ready for the match against the Vietnam team at Binh Duong Stadium on March 25.

Although the Laos team lost 1-2 to Sri Lanka in the above-mentioned friendly match, the result of the friendly match is not what worries coach Ha Hyeok-jun. The Korean coach said: "I don't care much about the defeat against Sri Lanka on March 20. In that match, I conducted personnel experiments. The main goal of the Laos team is the match against the Vietnam team in the Asian Cup qualifiers. I believe we can bring surprises to the opponent."

Research the Vietnam team carefully

Before traveling to Vietnam this time, Coach Ha Hyeok-jun appeared at Binh Duong Stadium a few weeks ago, watching a match of Binh Duong Football Club in the 2024-2025 V-League. In addition to surveying Binh Duong Stadium before bringing the Laos team here to participate in the Asian Cup qualifiers, when watching the match in the V-League a few weeks ago, Coach Ha Hyeok-jun probably took the opportunity to observe players Nguyen Tien Linh and Bui Vi Hao in Binh Duong's jersey. These are also the two most dangerous strikers of the Vietnamese team at the present time.

Laos team (red shirt) has some changes compared to AFF Cup 2024

Photo: NGOC LINH

In addition to the Lao players playing abroad, there are two other faces that are highly anticipated by football fans in the land of a million elephants, namely captain striker Bounphachan Bounkong. This is the character who scored a goal against the Vietnamese team at the AFF Cup 2024. Another character is young midfielder Damoth Thongkhamsavath, who has just joined Thanh Hoa Football Club in the V-League.

In theory, the Lao team is rated lower than the Vietnamese team. However, compared to the Vietnamese team, the task of the team from the land of a million elephants in the upcoming match is simpler. The Lao team only needs to draw with the Vietnamese team to be a great success, while the team of coach Kim Sang-sik must win. Therefore, the mentality of the Lao team will be more comfortable, they have more options in terms of tactical options when playing as guests against the Vietnamese team at Binh Duong Stadium.

Coach Ha Hyeok-jun revealed further: "We have prepared well for the match with the Vietnamese team. I am considering a new way of operating the Laos team, from tactics to personnel. We are ready for the Asian Cup qualifiers."