Pressure on the goalkeeper

Remember, at the 2019 World Cup, the US women's team defeated the Thai women's team 13-0, setting a record for the score difference in the Women's World Cup. After conceding 3 goals in the first half, in the second half, goalkeeper Sukanya Charoenying seemed to have a nightmare when she had to pick the ball out of the net 10 times. In the second match of the 2019 World Cup, goalkeeper Waraporn Boonsing was sent onto the field by coach Neungrutai but she also conceded 5 goals. In the final match of the group stage, although the Thai women's team only lost 0-2 to Chile, Waraporn Boonsing made a mistake in the first goal when she awkwardly kicked it into her own net after a shot from midfielder Yanara Aedo.

On the field, a striker missing a clear scoring opportunity is still more acceptable and forgivable than a goalkeeper's mistake when he misses the ball, lets the ball slip through his legs... Only when standing in the goal can you understand how hard it is for a goalkeeper, even if it is amateur football. When two teams are not equal in strength, and the opponent has many good strikers, the goalkeeper is no different from a "target". After such matches, due to working at full capacity, the goalkeeper needs a lot of time to recover his physical strength. It is not without reason that during the training trip to Germany, coach Mai Duc Chung focused on improving the physical strength of his students, including the goalkeepers.

Goalkeeper Kim Thanh was praised and honored by the Asian Football Confederation at the 2022 Asian Cup. Photo: AFC

After the unprecedented defeat at the 2019 World Cup against the US women's team, goalkeeper Sukanya Charoenying, born in 1987, retired from the national team due to psychological injuries. She once shared with Thailand's No. 1 sports daily, Siam Sport, that: "Every time I go to sleep, I am haunted by the loss to the US women's team. Even when I go out, I am very scared when someone stands nearby and talks. I always have the feeling that they realize that the goalkeeper has conceded 13 goals in a match at the World Cup."

Help students avoid psychological trauma

Coach Mai Duc Chung is very worried that at the 2023 World Cup, if they unfortunately lose heavily, the Vietnamese women's team will suffer psychological trauma. Sharing about the training situation in Germany, goalkeeper coach Nguyen Thi Kim Hong said: "The team's 4 goalkeepers are trying to practice with a very good spirit. Recently, in the first friendly match, winning 2-1 against Eintracht Frankfurt, goalkeeper Kim Thanh played well. Both Kim Thanh (the team's number 1 goalkeeper - PV) and the team's second goalkeeper Khong Thi Hang are in good form. Hopefully, these two goalkeepers will continue to compete with each other and try to show their full potential."

The goalkeepers of the Vietnamese women's team are actively training their physical strength with the whole team, combined with separate exercises on defending against high balls, practicing the ability to judge situations, and entering and exiting appropriately. Coach Mai Duc Chung said: "The World Cup is a big arena. The important thing is that the goalkeeper and defender must have a connection, the goalkeeper must command the defense, coordinate closely with teammates to be able to limit the dangerous ball deployment and attacks of the opponent. Kim Thanh has good reflexes, enters and exits appropriately, this makes the coaching staff and teammates feel secure. The coaching staff also has discussions with the players on the team, when the home team concedes a goal and unfortunately loses many goals at the World Cup, the players must show their mentality, thereby avoiding a collapse in spirit and fighting spirit."

Another good news for the Vietnamese women's team is that the International Federation of Football Associations (FIFA) has sent Dr. Ellena Tuner, a fitness and nutrition expert for women's players, to Germany to accompany the Vietnamese women's team (from June 13 to 17). This is FIFA's special support for the teams that have qualified for the 2023 World Cup. Dr. Ellena Tuner had a talk and discussion with coach Mai Duc Chung and his team about limiting the effects of time zone differences, the importance of nutrition and health issues especially for women. Based on the documents of FIFA experts, captain Huynh Nhu and her teammates were provided with knowledge about adjusting sleep, foods suitable for each activity, competition stage, training and rest. On behalf of the entire team, Head Coach Mai Duc Chung thanked Dr. Ellena Tuner for her useful sharing: “This is the first time the Vietnamese women's team has participated in the World Cup, so there are still many new things. The support and companionship of fitness and nutrition expert Ellena Tuner will be very useful for the players.”

THANH NAM