Domestic experts point out the "weakness" of Vietnam Olympic team before the match against Bahrain

Many people rate Vietnam Olympic team as the favorite compared to Bahrain, but what are the weaknesses that could put us in danger against the West Asian team?

The biggest weakness of the Vietnam Olympic team up to this point is the ability to take advantage of opportunities. We scored 6 goals in 3 matches, including 2 matches against very weak opponents Nepal and Pakistan, proving that the ability to take advantage of opportunities is not high.

In every match, the team has many opportunities to score, but the number of goals is limited. In theory, the further we go into the tournament, the stronger the opponents will be, the more they will study the Vietnam Olympic team, so if we have the chance but cannot finish them off, we may have to pay the price.

Former coach Doan Minh Xuong.. Photo: Trong Vu

What about physical endurance? After the match with Japan, you talked about us having less endurance than our opponents?

On this point, I think the limitation in physical endurance of the Vietnam Olympic team only appears when we face strong teams, like Japan, Korea, or China, when we are forced to exert ourselves to catch up with their fast playing style. Bahrain is not a strong team, so it is possible that the West Asian team cannot exploit this point of the Vietnam Olympic team.

Bahrain is making progress, in the first match they lost to South Korea 0-6, in the second match they drew Kyrgyzstan 2-2, in the last match of the group stage they beat Malaysia 3-2. However, if you pay close attention, in the last match Malaysia only used a reserve team to play against Bahrain, so that match cannot be used to judge the West Asian team.

Mr. Xuong commented that the ability to take advantage of opportunities of the Vietnam Olympic Team is still limited. Photo: Huyen Trang

Will Hung Dung's injury weaken the Vietnam Olympic team, because Hung Dung is the defensive midfielder with the best form among the central midfielders currently on the team?

It is not true to say that Hung Dung’s absence does not affect the whole team, because Hung Dung is a good defensive midfielder. However, I think Coach Park Hang Seo still has other options. In the team, Duc Huy can still play as a defensive midfielder, and the Duc Huy – Xuan Truong pair also played effectively in the U23 Asian tournament half a year ago.

I also do not think Duy Manh will be promoted to central midfield, his usual position a few years ago. Because no one would change the defense when that defense is stable and in harmony.

Will playing with Japan in the final group stage match pose a risk to the Vietnam Olympic team, sir?

Not at all! It is true that Hung Dung was injured in the match against Japan, but injuries are a part of elite sports. Even in matches that are not decisive, players or athletes can still get injured. The Vietnam Olympic team must play with determination to maintain their form and excitement for the next rounds.

This is the stage where Vietnamese football participates in major tournaments with the goal of trying to achieve results, firstly to reach the continental level, secondly to win to create psychological momentum, accumulate experience for the players, for football. We are not Japan or the leading football developing countries in Asia, that can play many tournaments, many matches with many goals and many different forces. The level of Vietnamese football now, when on the field, must be determined, when there is an opportunity, must be determined to win!

Thank you!