Vietnam team and the problem of preventing high balls against Thailand
With a defense of modest height, the Vietnamese team may face many disadvantages in situations of defending high balls.
Most likely, in the second leg of the final,Coach Kim Sang-sikwill continue to use a defense with goalkeeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu and a trio of central defenders Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Thanh Chung, and Pham Xuan Manh. Except for Nguyen Thanh Chung, the remaining players are all under 1m80 tall.
Observing the recent matches of the Vietnamese team, it can be seen that Nguyen Dinh Trieu has had difficulty in aerial combat – which is a common advantage of goalkeepers. The evidence is that the goalkeeper born in 1991 often chooses to punch the ball safely instead of catching it, an important skill for professional goalkeepers.
It should be remembered that, in the second leg of the semi-final against Singapore, if there had not been VAR intervention, the Vietnamese team would have conceded a goal after Nguyen Dinh Trieu's mistake. In that situation, the goalkeeper of Hai Phong was at a disadvantage in the aerial dispute with Faris Ramli and Shawal Anuar.
Certainly, the Thai team – with players possessing ideal height such as Suphanat Mueanta (1m78), Chalermsak Aukkee (1m85), Patrik Gustavsson (1m87), and Pansa Hemviboon (1m91) – will fully exploit attacking situations with high balls. This is a powerful weapon of the team under the leadership of coach Masatada Ishii.
It is impossible to ignore the goal of center-back Chalermsak Aukkee in the first leg of the final, when he headed the ball accurately to bring a goal for Thailand. This situation is a clear warning for the Vietnamese team's defense before the second leg at Rajamangala Stadium.
Hopefully, coach Kim Sang-sik will have reasonable tactics to neutralize the strength of the Thai team. Using goalkeeper Filip Nguyen (1m92 tall) and central defender Do Duy Manh (1m80 tall) in the starting lineup could be a feasible option, because both are very good in aerial combat.
We are looking forward to an exciting match and hope that the Vietnamese team will overcome the challenge to bring joy to the fans.
.jpg "Đội tuyển Việt Nam giành chiến thắng thuyết phục trước Thái Lan")
