Coach Troussier faces mounting difficulties.

In the first few friendly matches under coach Philippe Troussier, the Vietnamese national team faced increasingly stronger opponents. The clash with South Korea was the most challenging test of all. Son Heung-min and his teammates were on a completely different level from Vietnam's previous opponents.

South Korea is ranked 26th in the FIFA rankings. In Asia, only two teams are ranked above South Korea: Japan (19th) and Iran (21st). Tunisia – ranked 29th in the world – suffered a crushing 0-4 defeat against South Korea in a match where Son Heung-min did not play a single minute.

The Vietnamese team is not in the best shape to face South Korea. (Photo: VFF)

The difference in skill level between the two teams is enormous. Facing such a strong opponent, the Vietnamese team is not in its best form. Both subjective and objective disadvantages make this challenge even more difficult for the Vietnamese team. If Coach Troussier's team suffers a heavy defeat in this match, it would not be surprising.

First of all, the Vietnamese national team is not in good form during this training camp. Coach Troussier is still struggling to build a strong squad and develop a playing style, while his players have not yet adapted to the new tactical approach.

The poor performances in the last two matches show that the Vietnamese national team is not yet ready to face the top teams in the continent. They haven't met the requirements in terms of playing style, let alone the results.

In reality, it's difficult to expect the Vietnamese national team to operate smoothly at this time, as the team is still in disarray with ongoing experiments. The squad that Coach Troussier summoned for the October training camp is clearly not the best, and the players called up are not in their best form. The October international matches coincide with the break between V-League seasons.

It wouldn't be surprising if the Vietnamese team lost heavily to South Korea. (Photo: VFF)

The French coach called up many young players, including some who had rarely been used before. Apart from Nguyen Dinh Trieu and Nguyen Thai Son, no new faces under Coach Troussier have made a significant impact.

The Vietnamese team's squad is not highly rated, and they are also missing two players considered to be more experienced and skilled than most of their teammates. Nguyen Tien Linh is suspended due to a red card in the friendly match against China, while Nguyen Quang Hai is also unable to play due to injury, only managing to play 16 minutes against Uzbekistan.

Given these unfavorable circumstances, what can the Vietnamese team and their fans expect from the friendly match on October 17th? Even at their peak, the Vietnamese team would find it difficult to imagine a victory against South Korea; even a draw would be very challenging.

For coach Troussier, this match was clearly a defensive exercise.

"Against South Korea, we need to further improve and strengthen our defensive organization in open play. I estimate the team can only control 30-35% of the ball possession. The remaining time without the ball requires well-organized defensive discipline," said the French coach.

Against Uzbekistan and China, the Vietnamese team did not perform well defensively. Coach Troussier's players conceded two goals due to poor defensive organization, and the other two were the result of misplaced passes in their own half.

With an undeveloped playing style, a less-than-optimal squad, and facing a world-class team, the Vietnamese national team is highly likely to suffer a heavy defeat. This scenario is even more probable if the South Korean team fields its strongest lineup and plays with full force, as predicted by the South Korean media.

Phuong Mai

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