Painful blow to remember for life!

(Baonghean) -Vietnam – Malaysia, a semi-final match that few people expected before the start of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 because the team from the “palm oil” country was drawn into a group with Thailand and the host team Indonesia. However, they passed the group stage and reached the semi-finals as they did a year ago to win the gold medal at the 25th Seagame in Laos.

At SEA Games 25, U23 Vietnam was rated higher and defeated U23 Malaysia 3-1 in the group stage. But the reunion in the final match brought Calisto and his team bitter experiences, although U23 Vietnam at that time had almost all the elements to continue to make victory. Malaysia was still rated lower, Vietnam entered the match with no significant losses, but the victory belonged to the Malaysians after 90 minutes of thrilling competition. Vietnam lost 0-1, Malaysia paid off the debt owed in the group stage.

The semi-final of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2010 also has some overlaps worth comparing with the 25th Seagame, so we should pay attention and worry. The Vietnamese team is also led by Mr. Calisto, and is rated higher; Malaysia is also led by strategist K. Rajagopal, and the squad is mostly made up of players who made achievements at the 25th Seagame in the U23 team. The most worrying thing for the Vietnamese team is that we entered the tournament with a depleted force, and injuries plague the players... Vietnam is rated higher, but looking at the actual strength, that is only theoretical.

In the first leg of the semi-final, the Vietnamese team will be the guests, and difficulties and challenges await Calisto and his team on Malaysian soil. But football is not simply about comparisons and simple calculations, but always has the element of surprise, like when we let the Malaysians snatch the gold medal at the 25th Seagame. That helps us still have the right to hope if the players always have a winning mentality and are determined to avenge their juniors at the 25th Seagame.

Vo Van Dung