Coach Hoang Anh Tuan: U22 Indonesia is more formidable than Thailand.

Ahead of Vietnam U22's opening match at the 33rd SEA Games, former Vietnam U23 head coach Hoang Anh Tuan assessed that Indonesia U22 was the toughest obstacle on their journey to defend the gold medal, even more formidable than host nation Thailand. He also emphasized that Vietnam U22 is one of the strong contenders for the championship.

Main highlights

• According to Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan, U22 Indonesia is the most formidable opponent for U22 Vietnam at the SEA Games 33.
• Thailand's squad is hampered by Thai League clubs refusing to release players; Vietnam's U22 team receives support from the domestic league.
• The U22 Malaysia team is considered to be in crisis and unlikely to stop Vietnam in the group stage.
• Opening match against U22 Laos: aiming for 3 points, conserving energy, and keeping tactics secret for the long haul.

Why is Indonesia a major gateway?

Mr. Hoang Anh Tuan explained that Indonesian youth football has developed strongly recently, having defeated Vietnam many times at the U17 and U19 levels. However, when it comes to the U22 age group, if the Vietnamese U22 team plays to its strengths, Coach Kim Sang Sik's team is fully capable of overcoming this opponent.

Thailand and the squad dilemma.

Thailand, the host nation, has a strong foundation and home advantage, but according to Mr. Tuan, they are facing a squad shortage as Thai League clubs are refusing to release their players. In contrast, the Vietnam U22 team receives support from the domestic league, giving coach Kim Sang Sik the best options to defend their title.

Malaysia weakens in the group race.

Assessing the U22 Malaysia team, Mr. Tuan believes that this opponent is in crisis, lacking continuity and relying on naturalized players. Therefore, their ability to stop U22 Vietnam in the group stage is seriously questionable.

The depth of the U22 Vietnam squad.

Despite the absence of key players like Van Truong and Bui Vi Hao due to injury, coach Hoang Anh Tuan places his faith in the depth of the squad. Coach Kim Sang Sik's confidence, demonstrated by his decision to drop Duc Viet, shows that the team still has quality replacements in midfield. This is crucial for a short tournament with a high frequency of matches and a need to control injury risks.

Opening match: 3 points and keeping our cards close to our chest.

Facing U22 Laos in their opening match, coach Hoang Anh Tuan predicted a victory was within reach. However, U22 Vietnam didn't need a resounding win; the priority was securing three points, conserving energy, and not revealing too many tactics to direct opponents in later stages.

The overall picture

Based on the above observations, the journey of the Vietnam U22 team at the SEA Games 33 will revolve around three main points: squad management, choosing the right time to accelerate, and a specific strategy against Indonesia U22. If they maintain focus and capitalize on their strengths at the U22 level, as Mr. Tuan emphasized, Coach Kim Sang Sik's team has a solid foundation for the long haul, starting with a clean start against Laos U22.