Two tense and dramatic semi-finals

Any coach would want to "settle" the semi-final match within 90 minutes of intense competition and everyone would want to use their moves to finish off their opponent in the shortest possible time.

But in reality, no one could do it, from Mr. Polking to Mr. Shin Tae-yong or from Mr. Maloney to Mr. Park Hang-seo in the semi-finals of the men's football event at the 31st SEA Games, because of the "counter-strategy" of each person, the determination of each player on each team.

It was a nerve-wracking duel that did not allow any risks, so both teams were cautious, at least in their own half. Therefore, there were very few opportunities for breakthroughs on the wings or central combinations. The ball could be brought close to the wings and crossed inside, but getting past a tight defense at these moments was not easy at all.

U23 Vietnam in the semi-final match. Photo: Hai Hoang

The game was therefore as tense as a bowstring and opportunities to explode from carelessness, actions considered intentional could easily lead to arguments, fights, incidents and often received unwanted endings. While goals were scored very rarely, close calls, yellow cards and red cards were many, and came in droves.

Tien Linh's celebration in the semi-final match against U23 Malaysia. Photo: Hai Hoang

In the last minute of the 2nd extra time of the semi-final match between U23 Thailand and U23 Indonesia, in a situation of blocking the opponent leading to a foul, the Thai U23 player who came on as a substitute, Wiliam, received a second yellow card, which was equivalent to a red card, forcing him to leave the field in a prolonged struggle, sparking a collective collision that then led to 3 red cards for the Indonesian U23 players including Firsa, Irianto and even the veteran player Ricky. The team had both a strong force and ambition, but when they did not achieve the desired result, they were knocked out of the semi-finals and immediately suffered a heavy blow and it is difficult to say how they will play in the upcoming bronze medal match?

Also in the last minutes of the 2nd extra halves of the 2nd semi-final, from a situation where U23 Vietnam midfielder Tien Long fouled a U23 Malaysia striker and received a yellow card, the intentional action of an opposing player caused goalkeeper Van Toan and his teammates to rush in to intervene, and then they received unfortunate yellow cards.

These were all extremely tense and dramatic developments in the two semi-final matches that lasted 120 minutes with various small and big fights and arguments, damaging the strength of both teams, even the two teams that won and reached the final. But clearly, what can be seen clearly is that when entering the semi-final, all 4 teams showed their true strength, which was still hidden in the group stage. The winning team was the team that took advantage of the opportunity better, had stars that shone at the right time, and it is difficult to say that the losing team was the weaker team.

U23 Indonesia attacked relentlessly but could not concretize with a goal, while U23 Thailand demonstrated the mettle of a team with a rich tradition and the necessary coolness at important moments. U23 Malaysia defended excellently for 90 minutes and nearly 30 minutes of extra time but "died" because of a set piece situation, when their physical strength was worn down to the limit and that was a "weakness" that was not easy to overcome overnight. U23 Vietnam played proactively but the ability to penetrate was still a question. The home team, in the end, still lived well thanks to the trio of players over 23 years old, in terms of the ability to control the match, the ability to fight non-stop and especially to take advantage of opportunities from set pieces, something that not every team can do, especially in difficult, decisive matches. The miracle is that in both men's and women's football, Vietnam won from a set piece situation in these two semi-final matches with the brilliance of Hung Dung-Tien Linh and Tuyet Dung-Huynh Nhu.

In the end, everything will follow the old, familiar order when U23 Vietnam will meet U23 Thailand again in the final, recreating the history of SEA Games 22-2003 along with the brilliant brilliance of Van Quyen - Golden Boy that year. The difference is that this is an opportunity for Mr. Park Hang-seo to "settle the score" with his colleague Polking about the recent debt in the semi-finals of the AFF Cup 2021 and the juniors will respond with victory to what their seniors Van Quyen - Thanh Binh could not do in the past, keeping the gold medal in men's football that senior Quang Hai handed over nearly 3 years ago.,.