AFF Cup 2022: The Vietnamese national team is heading in the right direction.

NotablyAFF Cup 2022In this match against their top group stage opponent, Malaysia, despite Van Toan receiving a red card in the 33rd minute, Coach Park Hang-seo's team still overcame the difficulties together by maintaining a solid defensive position, while also launching excellent counter-attacks, forcing the opponent to commit fouls, receive red cards (followed by a heavy penalty), equalize the score, and then increase the lead to 2-0, before finishing with a very convincing 3-0 victory.

To be clear, in the regional group stages, there is currently no opponent that can truly challenge the Vietnamese team or force them to accept an undesirable result, even though teams like Myanmar, Indonesia, and Singapore have played defensively to hold the team coached by the South Korean coach to a draw. The real excitement, suspense, and unpredictability will come in the knockout semi-finals, despite the two-legged format.

Vietnam national team convincingly defeated Myanmar. Photo courtesy of Hai Hoang.

Considering the last two AFF Cup tournaments, as well as the history of the AFF Cup, the Vietnamese national team has never easily achieved the desired results, despite having reached the semi-finals twice and even the finals in the 2008 and 2018 AFF Cups.

Of course, history is ultimately for reference, so we can't lose hope as the Vietnamese national team heads to Indonesia for the first leg of the semi-final. History isn't on Vietnam's side in the AFF Cup (only draws and losses), but things haven't been so bad in other competitions, especially under coach Park Hang-seo. In any case, facing Indonesia in the semi-finals, while difficult, will be a more open game than facing their arch-rival Thailand, an opponent that has always prevented the Vietnamese team from performing at their best. The key is that once they overcome the semi-finals, the morale of each player will be boosted, everything will be 50/50, and then the Vietnamese national team will have a chance to make history, just like they did in the 2008 AFF Cup under Calistore with star players like Cong Vinh, Minh Phuong, and Hong Son…

Due to the packed schedule and frequent travel, the coaches had to carefully plan their squad from the start of the tournament. To date, after four group stage matches, the Vietnamese team has fielded almost all of its players, except for goalkeepers Nguyen Manh and Van Toan. Despite constantly changing the defensive line, except for Van Lam, the Vietnamese team has kept a clean sheet and has even contributed to assists and goals, as demonstrated by Ngoc Hai, Van Hau, and Tan Tai. Coach Park Hang-seo has tested almost all of the center-backs, wing-backs, midfielders, and forwards at different times, both to assess their abilities and to conserve energy for the long and arduous journey ahead.

Van Hau's presence on the left wing creates a stronger attacking force for the Vietnamese national team. (Photo: Hai Hoang)

In the final group stage match against Myanmar, a team with no chance of advancing, Park Hang-seo fielded a lineup consisting of Hanoi FC players plus...Van Lam, Tan Tai, and Tien Linh. The early opening goal was thanks to four Hanoi FC players: Hung Dung, Van Hau, Van Quyet, and Tuan Hai (which led to an own goal by the opposing defender). However, the key players were then substituted, with Van Duc, Hoang Duc, Hong Duy, Van Thanh, Ngoc Quang, etc., coming on to maintain their match fitness and ensure they retain their form for the upcoming matches. For various reasons, Ngoc Hai, Thanh Binh, and Tien Dung rested for the entire fourth match. Quang Hai, Tien Linh, etc., also only played one half before being substituted early. They will certainly be in the starting lineup for the upcoming first leg of the semi-final in Indonesia.

Even though Indonesia will be without their number one goalkeeper Argawinata, his compatriot Shin Tae-yong will undoubtedly "greet" Park Hang-seo fiercely and without any formality. A tough, uncompromising style of play, disrupting the opponent's game, attacking both down the flanks and through the center, coupled with pressure from the stands, and even the possibility of leniency from the referee, could lead to things getting out of control if Park Hang-seo isn't well-prepared mentally, strategically, and with perfect countermeasures.

Coach Park Hang-seo has never lost to his famous compatriot, and it's very possible that things aren't over after the first leg. Therefore, simply maintaining control of the game, perhaps even a draw with a scoreline, would allow the Vietnamese team to comfortably await their opponent's arrival at My Dinh Stadium. Of course, a victory away from home, like what Cong Vinh and Quang Hai achieved in Thailand in 2008, would be even more exciting, explosive, and noteworthy. Someone said that in the 2022 AFF Cup, the Vietnamese team is still on the right track and is in control of the game, and that's why.