SLNA head coach predicts Vietnam team will beat Malaysia

How do you rate the strength of the Malaysian team?

Although they have just added some naturalized players to the squad, I think the Malaysian team is only stronger than they were at the AFF Cup 2018, and is still a bit weaker than our team. Not to mention, coach Tan Cheng Hoe and his team have to play away at My Dinh Stadium. Therefore, the strength of the Malaysian team is nothing to fear from Que Ngoc Hai and his teammates.

Coach Nguyen Duc Thang. Photo: Huu Thanh

So, according to you, with the home field advantage, will coach Park Hang-seo let the Vietnamese team play offensively from the start?

Mr. Park is a cautious person, so it is likely that the Vietnamese team will play defensively and counterattack, taking advantage of the opponent's weaknesses to decide the match. With Mr. Park's calculations, it is very likely that the Malaysian team will fall into a "trap" like the recent confrontations between the two teams.

Unlike the 3 times they met at the AFF Cup 2018, in this match, Mr. Park will not have the services of central defender Tran Dinh Trong and striker Phan Van Duc. In your opinion, will these absences greatly affect the strength of the Vietnam Team?

The absence of Trong and Duc does not affect the strength of the Vietnam National Team much, because Coach Park Hang-seo has many quality players who are capable of taking on the positions and roles they left behind. Mr. Park, like other coaches, must build the team based on a collective foundation, avoiding over-reliance on a few outstanding individuals.

The second leg of the 2018 AFF Cup final between the Vietnam Team and the Malaysia Team. Photo courtesy of the Vietnam Football Federation.

According to you, will Pham Xuan Manh be able to start in the match against the Malaysian team?

I think Manh will be on the bench. In the current Vietnam National Team, Nguyen Trong Hoang and Doan Van Hau are almost the default positions for the two full-backs. In addition, Vu Van Thanh, Tran Van Kien and Nguyen Phong Hong Duy are also excellent. Manh has just returned to the team after a period of struggling with injuries, so it is difficult to compete for a position with other players.

What do you predict the score of this match will be?

With the advantage of playing at home, the Vietnamese team will defeat the Malaysian team with a score of 1-0.

Thank you for this conversation!