Coach Miura: 'Don't think Macau Olympics is easy to bully'

Facing Olympic Macau today, coach Toshiya Miura asked his players not to underestimate their opponents and to focus and try their best to win a big victory.

Coach Miura has the utmost respect for the Macau Olympics and requires his players to focus and not underestimate their opponents. Photo: Duc Dong.

* The match takes place at 4:00 p.m. Hanoi time at Shah Alam Stadium, Malaysia. Live on VnExpress.

Macau Olympic is considered the weakest team in Group I. They lost two consecutive matches against Japan Olympic (0-7) and Malaysia Olympic (0-2). Therefore, the match against this opponent today promises to be easy for Cong Phuong and his teammates. However, coach Miura always reminds his players to stay focused.

"You need to forget the defeat against Olympic Japan, there is nothing left to regret, our goal is the match against Olympic Macau. I want to see you play a beautiful and effective match", Mr. Miura instructed and motivated the players before the training session yesterday afternoon, March 30.

Macau Olympic, as their head coach, Mr. Tam Iao San introduced, is a team that mainly consists of players who are students. "My players rarely have time to play together, we come here with the goal of learning and trying to play well in each match," he shared with VnExpress.

Watching the Macau Olympic team play in the last two matches, Mr. Miura must have learned a lot. They do not have a clear outline, but they are a young team, playing a crowded defense and full of enthusiasm.

"We cannot underestimate Macau, they are not easy to bully," Miura said of his opponents. "Our goal is to compete for a ticket among the five best second-placed teams. Therefore, we have to try our best, score many goals and wait."

Macau Olympic players (striped shirts) playing defense is a big challenge for Vietnam Olympic team. Photo: Duc Dong.

In all aspects, the Macau Olympics cannot be compared to the Vietnam Olympics. But coach Miura still prepared carefully. In the match against the Japanese Olympics on March 29, he proactively let players like Tuan Anh, Van Toan, and Van Long rest to regain their strength for today's match.

During yesterday's training session to prepare for the match against Macau, he prioritized the whole team to adjust their aim and encouraged Tuan Anh and Van Toan to shoot a lot to hunt for goals. Vietnam Olympic team not only needs to win all three points but also has to win big to have a chance to become one of the five second-place teams with good results to get a ticket to the final round in Qatar next year.

With the return of Van Toan, Tuan Anh, Van Long, along with Cong Phuong and Ngoc Thang, Vietnam Olympic team will likely choose a small, coordinated passing style to penetrate Macau's dense defense. If this plan is successful, coach Miura and his team can absolutely make a big win.

Van Toan and Tuan Anh actively practice shooting to wait for the opportunity to shoot at the Macau Olympic goal. Photo: Duc Dong.

As for Macau Olympic, since they were certain to be eliminated, they did not prepare well for this match. Yesterday, while Vietnam Olympic was diligently practicing on the field, Macau players were released from camp to go shopping. They appeared very indifferent to this match.

Coach Tam Iao San has been following and highly appreciating the Vietnam Olympic team. "They are a strong team with fast and technical players. We have to be wary of the player wearing the number 10 shirt (Cong Phuong), because he is very dangerous. In addition, the Vietnamese defense also plays very solidly, so this will be a difficult match for us," the coach commented.

Expected lineup:

Vietnam Olympics:Van Phong, Manh Hung, Ngoc Hai, Tien Dung, Phuoc Tho, Tuan Anh, Duy Manh, Ngoc Thang, Van Long, Van Toan, Cong Phuong.

Macau Olympics:Ho Man Fai, Kou Ut Cheong, Lei Tin U, Kam Chi Hou, Chan Man, Tang Hou Fai, Ho Ka Seng, Cheong Hoi San, Leong Tak Wai, Ho Chi Fong, Pang Chi Hang.

According to VNE