AFF Cup 2018 Semi-finals: The role of players from Nghe An province.
(Baonghean.vn) - It's quite surprising and a source of pride that among the Vietnamese national team players highly rated by coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, there are many players from Nghe An province. Naturally, this also means their responsibility in the semi-final match against the Philippines is considerable.
Que Ngoc Hai carries a heavy burden.
Whether playing with three or four defenders, Que Ngoc Hai is guaranteed a starting spot thanks to his performances at this AFF Cup. With his physical advantage and good stamina, and his alertness in play, the Nghe An-born center-back's chances of winning in one-on-one situations are improving. He also has the opportunity to utilize his accurate long passes in counter-attacking situations. When Van Quyet is absent, Ngoc Hai's captaincy becomes even more prominent.
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| Que Ngoc Hai is increasingly demonstrating a more composed and mature style of play. Photo: Trung Kien |
The clash between Ngoc Hai and key striker Phil Younghusband will determine the outcome of this match. In the 2018 season, despite being 31 years old, the English-born striker still proved his "killer" instinct with 12 goals for Davao Aguilas FC - ranking third in the list of top scorers in the Philippine National League.
This number 10 has appeared in 5 AFF Cup tournaments (from 2010 to present) and has scored 6 goals. In every AFF Cup, the Philippines captain has scored at least one goal (two in 2014), and he has already scored one goal in this group stage.
Meanwhile, in the Vietnamese national team, Que Ngoc Hai is a true Song Lam-style center-back – always fast, strong, aggressive, and even reckless. However, those who have followed Que Ngoc Hai in recent years will notice that after getting married and having children, he has become much calmer and more mature in his playing style.
Therefore, Hai did not develop in the same direction as Huy Hoang in the past, which was to play aggressively to intimidate opponents, but instead played with a composed demeanor, mainly using his intellect and judgment rather than relying solely on strength. The image of a defensive leader is becoming increasingly clear in Que Ngoc Hai, especially in matches where Van Quyet is not playing and he wears the captain's armband.
With their height and physique advantage, coach Sven-Goran Eriksson made no secret of his intention to play a long-ball game in this match. The ball will be constantly crossed from the wings into the center for the Philippine forwards to utilize their height for headers. The fact that 6 out of 11 home players are over 1.80m tall will cause concern among many Vietnamese fans.
To counter this tactic, football textbooks have clearly stated that Vietnamese players need to focus on tightly marking the flanks. This means Trong Hoang and Van Hau will attack less than in the group stage matches, allowing them to concentrate on defense.
With Daisuke Sato absent from the left wing, coach Sven-Goran Eriksson will likely focus his attack on the right flank. To support Van Hau, Van Duc will most likely replace Van Quyet at left wing. The number 20 player is in good form, playing at a faster pace and providing better defensive support than his senior teammate Van Quyet.
Cong Phuong meets an "acquaintance".
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| Cong Phuong has a great opportunity to meet his "acquaintance" Alvaro Silva again. Photo: Internet. |
Statistics from the AFF Cup organizing committee show that Vietnamese players took a total of 57 shots across 4 group stage matches, with 31 on target, but their conversion rate into goals was only 25.8% (8/31), far behind the Philippines' 31.2%. Playing a defensive counter-attacking style, Cong Phuong needs to capitalize on opportunities, if given a chance by coach Park Hang-Seo.
Cong Phuong has a great opportunity to reunite with a familiar face, Alvaro Silva. A product of Malaga's youth academy, the 1.87m tall center-back Alvaro Silva has played for numerous clubs in Spain, Romania, South Korea, and other countries before joining Hanoi FC in 2017. He not only defended well but also scored 4 goals in just 14 appearances, becoming the best center-back in V.League 2017.
Because the Philippines are using a pair of tall central defenders, Alvaro Silva and Murga, it's uncertain whether veteran Anh Duc will get to play. Clearly, the home team's defense will not hesitate to mark striker Anh Duc with Cong Phuong, a player with good individual technique and a knack for taking the ball.
