Cambodia National Team - Vietnam National Team: Coach Mai Duc Chung uses offense to compensate for defense?

(Baonghean.vn) - From the list of players selected by coach Mai Chung for the 2019 ASIAN Cup qualifiers, it is easy to see the differences in the squad compared to his predecessor Nguyen Huu Thang.

Youthful defense and concerns

Compared to coach Nguyen Huu Thang, coach Mai Duc Chung tends to prioritize choosing young defenders. The oldest and most experienced defender is Au Van Hoan, 28 years old this year. Opposite to the defender from Nghe An are 18-year-old Doan Van Hau and 19-year-old Huynh Tan Sinh. The rest are names from the 9x generation such as Tien Dung, Van Thanh, Ngoc Thinh. Statistics show that the average age of the defenders is 22.1.

Striker Chan Vathanaka is a very dangerous player on the Cambodian national team. Photo: Internet

It is very likely that the central defender pair chosen by coach Mai Duc will be Tien Dung - Ngoc Thinh. This central defender pair is considered much more immature than Dinh Luat - Ngoc Hai of coach Huu Thang in AFF Cup 2016. Guarding the two wings will be Van Thanh and Van Hoan, compared to Dinh Dong, Au Van Hoan is a defender with much better ability to support the attack.

The defenders are young and enthusiastic, but mistakes are always lurking around them. Of course, behind them is goalkeeper Dang Van Lam, a player of "old age" and whose defensive command ability is superior to Nguyen Manh. As for Ngoc Thinh, the Hai Phong midfielder has only played 1 match in V.League 2017, but it is very possible that his height of 1m79 and his understanding with Van Lam are the reasons why he was chosen.

When Van Thanh is returned to his usual position as a left-back, he will still be dangerous in attacks and defenses. With such an optimal defense, the Vietnam National Team has revealed its intention to attack a not-so-strong opponent like Cambodia.

Minh Tuan - Trong Hoang's Wings

If the defense of the Vietnam National Team has many changes, the attack line is still inherited by coach Mai Duc Chung. That is the mobility and flexibility of Trong Hoang - Minh Tuan on the two wings.

Trong Hoang has speed, good physical strength and an aggressive playing style on the right wing. Midfielder Vu Minh Tuan is always considered a midfielder with an intelligent playing style and good long-range shooting ability. Supporting Minh Tuan and Trong Hoang are not only Van Thanh and Van Hoan but also the central midfielder pair Xuan Truong and Huy Hung. Like the AFF Cup 2016, Huy Hung will be tasked with covering and recovering the ball for "conductor" Xuan Truong in the midfield.

The reason why Van Hoan is most likely the defender chosen to play on the same wing as Trong Hoang is because these two close friends in real life have known each other very well during their time playing at SLNA as well as B. Binh Duong. Surely the overlapping situations will be shown by this duo in the match against Cambodia.

Van Quyet is the best striker in Vietnamese football at the moment. Photo: Internet.

After a tiring and stressful SEA Games in Malaysia, if he can maintain his balance, Cong Phuong is still highly regarded when playing freely in the attacking midfield position for striker Van Quyet. At the AFF Cup 2016, Van Quyet only scored 2 goals, but compared to his juniors Hong Quan and Duc Chinh, the Hanoi striker is definitely the number 1 choice. At the V.League 2017, Van Quyet's form was quite stable with 4 goals after 14 appearances.

Although at the AFF Cup 2016, the Vietnam team defeated them with a score of 2-1, it was a rather difficult match for coach Huu Thang and his team. On the Cambodian attack line, there is a player who made Ngoc Hai and Dinh Luat sweat, Chan Vathanaka (23 years old), who is playing in Japan for Fujieda MYFC on loan.

Cambodia's national team has clearly made progress recently when they defeated Afghanistan 1-0 with the only goal of striker Mony Udom. Meanwhile, the U23 team of this country also caused a shock in the U23 Asian qualifiers when they held China to a 0-0 draw before winning against the Philippines; lost to U23 Japan 0-2 but that was a match in which U23 Cambodia only conceded a goal in the 73rd minute. Facing this opponent on the away field on September 4, coach Mai Duc Chung and his team cannot help but be cautious.

Group C standings of the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Trung Kien