Vietnam team needs to win big against Laos team

Vietnam teamare considered the top candidates for a direct ticket to the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup. However, with the scoring format and goal difference, every goal against Laos is important. Malaysia - a direct competitor of Vietnam is making strong progress thanks to the policy of naturalizing players, making the race more unpredictable.

In terms of history, Vietnam has completely dominated when they are undefeated against Laos in 14 meetings, including 13 wins and 1 draw. In the last 5 matches in the regional arena, Vietnam scored 18 goals and only conceded 1. This shows Vietnam's superiority, but also requires maintaining concentration to avoid surprises. The lesson from the AFF Cup 2024 is still valuable when Vietnam had to wait until the 58th minute to score the first goal despite winning 4-1. If they cannot take advantage of early opportunities, the team may have difficulty against Laos, who have notable additions.

Despite being rated higher, Vietnam still faces certain problems. Key striker Nguyen Xuan Son is absent, while Tien Linh and Tuan Hai have not reached their peak form. The performance in the friendly match with Cambodia (won 2-1) was also not really convincing as the organization of the play and connection between the lines still had many limitations.

In addition, the Vietnamese defense also needs to maintain a high level of concentration. Although controlling the game well against Cambodia, the team still conceded 1 goal due to an individual mistake. Against opponents with a counter-attacking style of play like Laos, maintaining discipline in defense is important to avoid being surprised. The defensive framework with Thanh Chung and Duy Manh is likely to continue to be trusted, but the coordination between positions needs to be improved to ensure absolute safety.

On the other hand, Laos has added quality players with 3 naturalized players from Europe and the US, helping to increase their attacking ability. Whether the Laos team can create a surprise or not depends on the ability of these players to adapt to the team's general playing style. If they can combine well with their local teammates, Vietnam will need to be wary of lightning counter-attacks.

The match against Laos is an opportunity for the Vietnamese team to affirm its ambition at the 2027 Asian Cup. A big win will not only help Vietnam have a favorable start but also create psychological momentum for the next matches.

In addition, scoring many goals also helps the team have an advantage in goal difference, which can play a decisive role in the race for a ticket to the next round. This is also an opportunity for coach Kim Sang-sik to test and perfect the team's playing style. In addition to winning 3 points, he needs to find the most optimal solution for the attack, ensuring cohesion between the lines, thereby building a solid foundation to aim for bigger challenges in the journey to the 2027 ASIAN Cup qualifiers./.