Midfielder Nguyen Duc Phu determined that the whole team must be careful in the opening match of SEA Games 32 against Laos on April 30.
"The Laos team is also strong. We are not allowed to be subjective or underestimate our opponents. The team needs to maintain good spirits and be ready for the challenge of Laos," Duc Phu said before Vietnam's second training session in Phnom Penh on the afternoon of April 27.
Nguyen Duc Phu during the training session of U22 Vietnam in Phnom Penh on April 27. Photo: Lam Thoa
Vietnam is in Group B of SEA Games 32. The team will play its opening match against Laos on April 30. In the history of confrontations at the national and U23 levels, Vietnam has never lost to Laos, only drawing one match with a score of 1-1 on September 5, 1996.
Vietnam ended its 60-year gold medal drought at the 2019 SEA Games. At that time, under the guidance of coach Park Hang-seo, the team defeated Laos 6-1 in the group stage. Three years later, Vietnam successfully defended its gold medal, while Laos experienced its 6th consecutive Games where they stopped at the group stage. Laos' best result was fourth place at the 2009 SEA Games on home soil.
"We watched videos of the Lao team recently to see what tactics they used, what their strengths were to counter them, and what their weaknesses were to attack," Duc Phu added.
U22 Vietnam arrived in Cambodia on April 26. Duc Phu said the team did not encounter any difficulties with food, accommodation and daily activities. The weather in Phnom Penh is hot and humid, but the team also trained in Ba Ria-Vung Tau, where the weather is similar, so they adapted quickly.
Duc Phu said that in the second training session in Phnom Penh on April 27, Coach Troussier gave the necessary tactical exercises and content to prepare for the match with Laos three days later.
Coach Troussier brought 24 players to Cambodia. He will have to eliminate three players, finalizing the list one day before the opening match.
"Currently, the coach has not given any information about the starting lineup or the tournament registration list. Therefore, all players must continue to try to be on the registration list. My goal is the same," said the midfielder who is playing for PVF Cong An Ha Noi.
Coach Troussier always tells his players to play confidently, show themselves, and the results will come later. Photo: Lam Thoa
Vietnam is the defending champion, but the team's ability to go far at the 32nd SEA Games is a question mark. Coach Park Hang-seo did not renew his contract and Coach Troussier was chosen to replace him. According to many experts, compared to his predecessor, the French coach has encountered more difficulties when he first took office, because the current squad is not strong, most of the players have not yet secured a starting position in the V-League or the First Division.
Furthermore, the upcoming tournament does not allow the addition of overage players. In the two gold medal-winning tournaments of 2019 and 2022, overage players selected such as Nguyen Trong Hoang, Do Hung Dung, Nguyen Hoang Duc, and Nguyen Tien Linh all had a great influence on Vietnam's playing style and achievements.
Furthermore, Coach Troussier has only been working with U22 Vietnam for nearly two months, while he wants to change the team's playing style, shifting from the defensive-counterattack style of his predecessor to ball control and proactive attack.
Lam Thoa ( from Phnom Penh )
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