Meeting Thailand from the group stage – a concern for the Vietnamese team?

Therefore, the men's football event at the SEA Games will be exciting from the first matches, forcing Mr. Troussier and his team to "take each match one by one" with no other way to try to defend the gold medal they have won for two consecutive tournaments.

The reason I say "try" is becauseU22 Vietnamjust showed a disappointing face at the international friendly tournament for U23 at Doha Cup, while the biggest rival, U22 Thailand, was full of victory spirit and confidently declared that they were "unrivaled" in the region. Not to mention other rivals also took advantage of the momentum to speak out, due to naturalizing players, due to the ambition to constantly dethrone.

U22 Vietnam is in Group B with U22 Thailand at SEA Games 32. Photo: VFF

In fact, meeting rival Thailand right from the group stage has its own advantages in that U22 Vietnam will first compete for the top spot in the group with their opponent and if they cannot win, they will at least have to take second place in the group, still have a chance to go on to the semi-finals. At that time, the opportunity to meet in the final is still there and must go through 2 life-and-death matches to know who wins and who loses. If mistakes are made in the group stage, then the final match is the time to correct and who knows, the situation may be reversed?

In the AFF Cup as well as the SEA Games, Vietnam and Thailand have met many times from the group stage. That was in 2008, 2012 in the AFF Cup and in 1995, 1999, 2003, 2009, 2015, 2017 and 2019 in the SEA Games. In total, over 7 SEA Games, U23 Vietnam has never won, drawing 4 matches and losing 3 matches, scoring 6 goals but conceding 13 goals. But there are also noteworthy statistics that although they did not win against Thailand in the group stage, U23 Vietnam and the Vietnam National Team have reached the finals 5 times in 1995, 1999, 2003 (the year the SEA Games started competing for the U23 team), 2009, 2019 and 2022. And now, in this 32nd SEA Games, the two arch-rivals meet again from the group stage, could the scenario of not using all their strength from the beginning but testing each other, meeting in the final to see who is "unrivaled" in the region?

Even before the group draw, the leaders of the Vietnam Football Federation and the head coaches of the U23 Vietnam and the Vietnam Women's Team were unanimous in their determination to defend the two gold medals at this SEA Games. So, whether we meet our rival Thailand in the group stage or not, our teams still have to win the final match, despite the countless difficulties that lie ahead.

Now, both the U23 team and the Vietnamese women's team are in "death" groups, but that absolutely does not make anyone afraid or falter. Of course, these are not superior opponents like in the Doha Cup or top women's teams like China or Japan. The opponents are determined, have real strength, and are supplemented by naturalization... but in general, they are not so classy that they make us "lose before even playing". We have many lessons from the past, so we will not be passive, surprised and go astray. On the contrary, it is the opponents who are surprised by the solidarity and doubled strength of the whole team in life-or-death matches.

Coach Troussier and U22 Vietnam have the task of defending the gold medal in men's football at the 32nd SEA Games. Photo: VFF

Now is not the time to express opinions, why not bring the U20 generation that has just played very well in the continent, add some outstanding factors of U22 to participate in the SEA Games, a playground for the village, to compete, even if they lose, it will help this young generation rub shoulders, accumulate for a further goal? We should also not be confused about the V-League having to stop continuously to make room for the U generations to perform like we are doing. Any opinions, if any, should be expressed when everything is still in the planning, in the planning, not discussed and "finalized". Now the stages are running continuously, some places are successful, some places are not, but we should thoroughly implement them for the immediate and long-term goals of the whole football industry.

Obviously, our immediate goal of achieving a "golden hat-trick" of men's football at the SEA Games is within reach, although it may be very difficult against the Thais. But the highest goal, which must be achieved within the next 3-5 years or 7-10 years, is a World Cup ticket when the opportunity opens up for everyone. The race in the region will not only be between Vietnam and Thailand, but also at the continental level with big names in West Asia and Central Asia, so many difficulties are waiting, challenging all efforts and ways to reach the finish line as quickly as possible. And who knows, not being successful at the SEA Games or not being successful against the Thais is the way for us to know where to rise from, and is an urgent push to promptly adjust, supplement forces and methods to achieve the final goal./.