Vietnam team: Coach Kim Sang-sik is lucky, but also… worried

Coach Kim Sang-sik is still… lipstick

What will happen if the Vietnamese team loses to the Philippines in the match on the evening of December 18? The 12-year streak of 20 unbeaten matches in the AFF Cup group stage will end. But the numbers are for reference only. If they fail at Rizal Memorial Stadium, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will have difficulty in the race to win tickets to the next round. At that time, the whole team was forced to win against Myanmar. In case of a draw or loss, the Vietnamese team is at great risk of having to leave the tournament.

However, when pushed to the wall, luck smiled on coach Kim Sang-sik. From Van Vi’s spinning corner kick, the Philippine goalkeeper chose the wrong spot and missed the ball, creating an opportunity for Doan Ngoc Tan to head in and score the equalizer in the 90+7 minute. This is one of the late goals of the Vietnamese team in the history of AFF Cups.

Remember in the debut match at My Dinh Stadium, coach Kim Sang-sik also needed a goal in the last minute of injury time to help the Vietnamese team defeat the Philippines. When the chance to win seemed to be over, Tuan Anh’s bold long-range shot opened up the opportunity to cushion the ball from close range for Tuan Hai, helping Mr. Kim win a dramatic 3-2 on his debut day.

Last-minute goals speak of two aspects. On the positive side, it is necessary to praise the competitive spirit of the Vietnamese team. Luck does not come by itself, but only smiles on those who make efforts. Coach Kim Sang-sik’s students did not give up, but fought hard until the last second. Both last-minute goals against the Philippines came from the persistent pressure the players created.

During the training trip in Korea, the Vietnamese team scored goals against Ulsan Citizen, Daegu and Jeonbuk all in the late stages of the match. Besides training the players to run strong until the last minute, coach Kim Sang-sik also inspires, urges and encourages his students. The names Mr. Kim chose for the 2024 AFF Cup such as Ngoc Tan and Van Vi also came from the criterion of fighting spirit.

But looking at the downside, having to chase until the last minute in many matches shows that the Vietnamese team’s tactics are not complete. How do you have to play to be ahead or held back by your opponent, and then have to chase with all your might in the last minutes? The last-minute goal was just a flash in an overall deadlock, and the Vietnamese team could not bet on such fate in every match.

The Vietnamese team is not complete

Coach Kim Sang-sik changed up to 8 positions compared to the match against Indonesia. However, no matter what team they play with, there are still challenges in the way the Vietnamese team plays.

Quang Hai and his teammates could not control the match and did not have a clear way to deploy attacking play. The Vietnamese team is too dependent on individual breakthroughs, leading to fragmented, disconnected gameplay.

Most of the opportunities the away team created in this match came from quick attacks, as Van Thanh’s shot off the wooden frame in the second half demonstrated. As for systematic and scientific coordination, the Vietnamese team has not been able to do it.

Once again, it must be said that coach Kim Sang-sik is lucky, when a Vietnamese team full of “stones” is still undefeated, leads the group and has the right to self-determination in the race to win tickets to the semi-finals. But, luck won’t last forever. After today’s “deadly miss” on the Philippine field, the Vietnamese team needs to wake up and return.