Coach Kim Sang-sik: 'Vietnam team determined to win in debut match against Philippines'

At noon on June 5, the press conference before the match between Vietnam and the Philippines in the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup in Asia took place.

Sharing at the press conference, coach Kim Sang-sik said: "This is my first match with the Vietnamese team. Although the 5 days of preparation are quite short, I tried to convey my philosophy. In my opinion, the players understand well. I think with that, we will have good results against the Philippines."

Regarding the goal of the Vietnamese team, Mr. Kim believes he will have a better start than his predecessor Park Hang-seo: "Coach Park started with a draw. But I want to win tomorrow's match. We try to put pressure from the first match because of the home field advantage. The Vietnamese team tries to have the best result for the fans."

Although he has only had a short time in charge of the Vietnamese team, coach Kim Sang-sik affirmed that he and the players have a very good connection, which helps keep the atmosphere always happy and close.

"I once said I wanted to be the older brother of the Vietnamese players. That saying has many meanings. In daily life, I am a close older brother in the family. During training, I am the instructor so that they can follow the training requirements most accurately. I also try to be close and connected to bring continuity to the players. Although the preparation time is not long, I believe the players understand the tactical philosophy that I give. It can be seen that they are trying their best to win. That gives me more confidence. I hope they fight with that confidence for the match against the Philippines," the Korean coach shared.

Assessing the quality of Vietnamese players, the 48-year-old coach said: "After 5 days of observing and training, I feel that the players have a greater passion for football than I initially thought. However, they still need to improve a few more tactical points to become a better version."

Midfielder and captain Do Hung Dung also expressed his determination at the press conference: "There are stumbles but we need to move forward. Players who want to improve must change, they cannot follow the old path. I hope fans understand that the team must change to try to meet expectations. Winning is the highest goal, so we try our best in every match. It will be difficult for the team to do well in 3-4 days to meet the coach's requirements, but we will definitely play our best."

The match between Vietnam and the Philippines will take place at 7 p.m. on June 6 at My Dinh Stadium./.