AFF CUP 2022: The Vietnamese national team should avoid making things difficult for themselves.

Two matches against two different opponents, with Malaysia considered the main rival in the group, revealed much about the potential strength of the team.Vietnam national teamTo be confident in their strategies for the semi-finals, to put it bluntly, to avoid facing Thailand as they did in the 2021 AFF Cup.

The starting lineup in the last two matches only changed Quang Hai's position, replacing him with Van Toan, with the reason given being that the star playing in France was experiencing fatigue issues? Scoring his first goal in the AFF Cup (in the win against Laos), the Hoang Anh Gia Lai striker received two yellow cards for defensive errors, a weakness of any star trained at the Pleiku-based club. The problem is that the visiting Malaysian team created a surprising and tough game (as Ngoc Hai admitted after the match), but it also served as a lesson for Coach Park Hang-seo and the national team's coaching staff: the Hoang Anh Gia Lai stars are only suited to ball control and attacking play, while their defensive duties are mediocre and amateurish.

Coach Park held a quick meeting with the Vietnamese national team at the Jalan Besar stadium in Singapore. (Photo: Hai Hoang)

Remember, in the 10-man game after Van Toan's needless red card, Van Duc, Hoang Duc, and Hung Dung played superb defense, always transitioning as quickly as possible. Here, Coach Park Hang-seo was always right to trust Van Duc, who can drop deep to defend both on the wing and in the center, act as a link for ball circulation, and simultaneously penetrate the penalty area like a tireless arrow when opportunities arise.

In this crucial match, one could vote for the best player, goalkeeper Van Lam, for his at least two crucial saves and countless other moments of controlling the game; one could praise Tien Linh for always knowing how to "open the scoring" in difficult situations; praise Quang Hai's pinpoint passes and Hoang Duc's exceptional finesse in one-on-one situations with the goalkeeper; praise Ngoc Hai's composure from the penalty spot… These are all perfectly accurate and readily apparent. But there are also the unsung heroes like Van Duc, Tan Tai, and Van Hau who deserve praise, because these tireless fighters ensured the team's strength wasn't diminished while playing with fewer players.

Van Duc always dared to push forward, often even higher than Tien Linh, surprising the opponent. His tricky and decisive play forced the visiting team's defense to retreat, preventing them from putting pressure on the home team as they wished. Tan Tai worked diligently on the right flank, while Van Hau sprinted like an arrow on the left flank as usual… They weren't mentioned on the scoreboard or in the media, but it was they, along with the whole team, who overcame difficult moments, even "relieving" pressure through their fighting spirit and relentless pursuit of the ball (Van Hau's actions), leading to a red card and a penalty, allowing things to unfold in Vietnam's favor afterwards.

Of course, the changes and unexpected actions of coach Park Hang-seo have caused unnecessary difficulties for the Vietnamese national team. Van Toan's excessive impatience cost him and the team dearly, not just in one match. This result will mean that Van Toan and the Hoang Anh Gia Lai stars will have to accept spending more time on the bench in the future, especially when the team faces strong opponents.

Van Hau also needs to reflect more on his behavior, as his excessive enthusiasm becomes unnecessary and offensive, and sooner or later, the referees and VAR will take notice and take decisive action. Remember Duy Manh's past and present performance to see how meaningful these lessons are. Against the powerful and often cunning Malaysian players, Duy Manh remained incredibly calm, neutralizing every threat and always winning, always being superior in one-on-one duels. We cannot fail to praise the Hanoi FC player for this encouraging transformation.

The joy of Que Ngoc Hai and his teammates after scoring the second goal for the Vietnamese national team in the match against Malaysia. (Photo: Hai Hoang)

And so far, Park Hang-seo hasn't really needed Van Quyet or Tuan Hai for the attacking front, as his existing players, who are in good form, are still effective. A team that goes the distance needs a strong reserve force, which is something that needs careful consideration and planning. The remaining two opponents in the group, Singapore (away, artificial turf) and Myanmar (home), certainly shouldn't be a difficult challenge for the South Korean coach and his team.

The key is never to make things difficult for yourself or put yourself at a disadvantage, then everything will go as planned and you'll reach the finish line victoriously. The key is to handle each match well, starting with the away game against Singapore, who have 6 points after two games, are full of momentum, and are not easily giving up their ambitions.