AFF Cup 2018: Which "weapon" will Coach Park choose?
(Baonghean.vn) - Scoring goals is the responsibility of all players in the national team, but as head coach, Mr. Park must personally select and assign the main tasks to the attacking players. It seems this task is difficult to escape the grasp of the five top scorers (with a total of 27 goals) under the South Korean coach's tenure.
According to statistics from Nghe An Newspaper, under coach Park Hang Seo, there are currently five leading scorers: Quang Hai and Cong Phuong (9 goals); Van Quyet, Anh Duc, and Van Duc (3 goals). In a demanding tournament like the AFF Cup, it's difficult for players like Tien Linh and Duc Chinh to take on this heavy responsibility as the frontrunners.
Who is responsible for scoring goals?
At the top of this list, in our opinion, is Quang Hai. He was a standout player at the U23 Asian Championship, scoring a brace against Qatar in the semi-finals and a goal against Uzbekistan in the final. Although he has the same number of goals (9) as his HAGL teammate, the 21-year-old's performance has been much more consistent.
This season, Quang Hai played 24 matches for Hanoi FC, scoring 9 goals and providing 6 assists in the V-League, contributing to the capital city team finishing 5 rounds early. Quang Hai's strength lies in his ability to play on both wings, and in both midfield and forward positions. More importantly, the team's attack also includes Van Quyet, a senior teammate from the same club, with whom they understand each other very well.
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| Quang Hai is the team's biggest hope at the 2018 AFF Cup. Photo: Internet |
This is undoubtedly the last international tournament for 33-year-old veteran Anh Duc. In fact, Anh Duc had already announced his retirement from the national team, but Coach Park has revived the veteran striker from B.Binh Duong. Playing as a central striker, he has been like a tireless bird in the Vietnamese national team's attack, managing to score 3 goals.
Anh Duc's greatest asset right now, despite his age, is his greatest asset. While age may prevent him from playing in every match, he is a crucial player that coach Park Hang Seo is counting on. It's no coincidence that the AFF made such a surprising assessment of Anh Duc, considering him the strongest candidate for the Golden Boot in the upcoming tournament.
From being an indispensable player in the national teams at all levels, Cong Phuong has gradually moved to the bench and become a tactical reserve striker both in the Olympics and now in the Vietnamese national team. At the 18th Asian Games, Cong Phuong came on as a substitute but scored the decisive goal that helped the Vietnamese Olympic team defeat Bahrain in the round of 16. It seems that after missing two penalties against Pakistan, the confidence of this HAGL player has noticeably decreased.
With his relatively slender physique, Công Phượng didn't perform as well when he was no longer surprising opponents in the region. Conversely, his numerous clumsy plays and loss of possession caused his team to struggle to defend against counter-attacks. However, when needed, his ability to make breakthroughs, sprint over short distances, and disrupt the defense proved his worth.
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| Veteran Anh Duc is a pillar of support for the younger players. Photo: Internet |
Van Quyet's class at both club and national team levels is undeniable. In the recent V-League season, he scored 6 goals and provided 9 assists. The greatest value of the national team captain is his role as a pillar of support whenever the team faces difficulties.
Quyet "the forest" has scored 3 goals during the time coach Park Hang-seo has been working with Vietnamese football. The 2018 AFF Cup is the tournament where people expect his ability to create breakthroughs to unlock the opponent's goal.
The youngest in the attacking line.
In the attacking line, Van Duc is the youngest, both in age and experience. Therefore, the fact that he has only scored 3 goals so far is an acceptable result for the 1996-born player currently playing for SLNA.
Van Duc's aggressive and energetic performance from start to finish is a strength that has impressed coach Park Hang-seo. Versatile in multiple positions, his relatively simple yet surprisingly effective playing style has always been a secret weapon for the national team. While it will be difficult for him to compete for a starting spot, Van Duc is a high-quality substitute for the South Korean coach.
