When Mr. Philippe Troussier persistently experimented

There is very little information about the match other than the two goalscorers of the Central Asian team were Joel Kojo (minute 31) and Ayzar Akmatov (minute 75), and the equalizer was by Truong Tien Anh (minute 63).

On the Vietnamese team side, 29 players were put on the field, each playing for an average of more than 20 minutes, except for goalkeeper Nguyen Filip who played for more than 30 minutes. The one who did not play a single minute was center back Duy Manh due to having just recovered from injury.

Clearly, unlike many of his predecessors and many other coaches, Philippe Troussier persisted with experimenting until the last minute of friendly matches in search of the best lineup.

Recalling the previous friendly matches with the teams of Hong Kong - China, Syria and Palestine before leading to the 2nd qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup, the French coach continuously tested a series of positions, especially new players, young factors. This time, with the force situation having many changes, mainly due to injuries to many pillars, he continued to look for replacement positions.

One of the players he persistently tested but did not meet the requirements was Truong Tien Anh, who was eliminated in 2 official matches of the team.Vietnam teambefore, now he has been given the opportunity and in fact has partly met the requirements of the task. The goal scored by Tien Anh in the recent friendly match helped him "score points" in the eyes of the coaching staff and proved why the teacher has been "watching" this player for a long time.

Without being able to watch the players’ performance and the coaching staff’s adjustments in the narrow defeat, it is difficult to evaluate each position as well as the overall operation of the team. However, the disappointment of the majority of fans is inevitable in the context that the team led by Mr. Troussier is creating very little confidence and hope for a breakthrough, especially against the top opponents in the continent. However, when the official tournament has not yet taken place, everything is still in an unpredictable, unpredictable mystery…

In fact, strong opponents in the upcoming continental tournament such as Japan or Iraq have been proving their superiority in official matches as well as friendly matches. The question is what are the progress or reverses of the same-age teams in the region such as Thailand and Indonesia showing? Well, Thailand has just lost 0-5 to Japan in just one half. The opponent of the Vietnam team in both the 2nd qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup and the 2023 Asian Cup, Indonesia, has just lost both friendly matches with Libya with a score of 1-6 and still loudly shouts as if to reduce that fear? Of course, the opponent, like us, is in the process of testing, searching for strength in many different ways for a common goal. The result of determining the winner or loser is still waiting ahead.

Before the first match of the 2023 ASIAN Cup takes place, the French coach will register the final list of 26 members of the Vietnam National Team according to regulations, which means there are 4 names sitting out. Hope is placed on the shoulders of newcomers such as Nguyen Filip, Tien Anh, Ngoc Bao..., young people such as Dinh Bac, Thai Son, Minh Trong, Van Khang... and of course the necessary brilliance of the trio Quang Hai - Tuan Hai - Van Toan.

There will be countless difficulties and challenges against the "big guys" Japan and Iraq and the players' task is to minimize errors and mistakes to bring about favorable results in the race with the opponents in the 3rd place of each group. Must concentrate all their strength and power on the decisive match with Indonesia in the 2nd match of group D as planned, with the necessary result being a win.

Many people have thought that the French coach's "fate" will be decided mainly by the result of the match with Indonesia; is it the next, reasonable result after his extremely disappointing performance in coaching recently? But there may also be another point of view that the ASIAN Cup has never been a real hope for the Vietnamese team, even though they have recently reached the quarter-finals twice. Meanwhile, the 2nd and 3rd qualifying rounds of the World Cup with a long schedule, playing home and away, hope was rekindled and the Vietnamese team once "nudged" closer to a ticket to a World Cup. Therefore, is patience with the French coach's way of doing things necessary and correct?

Regardless of whether the reality goes as expected or not, the crucial requirement of enhancing the fighting spirit and creating the strength of the Vietnam National Team needs to be awakened more strongly than ever under the leadership of Mr. Troussier. In the current difficult and arduous times, it is necessary to have the leading role of the pillars and stars such as Quang Hai, Tuan Hai, etc., the youth and determination, and the striving of Thai Son, Dinh Bac, Van Khang, etc. Not to mention, every minute present on the big regional and continental arenas today is a valuable experience for young talents, helping them have the opportunity to prove their potential, ready to take on new and greater tasks in the new journey.

And more than ever, the Vietnam National Team needs to receive the necessary support from experts and a large number of fans at home and abroad. Football is a game of national colors, of intense and unceasing love, of dedication and devotion, of progress along with strange luck...

The Vietnamese team at the ASIAN Cup was lucky as many people know, but luck is always fickle with anyone. So, we need a new way of doing things, to improve, to reach victory in the future.

In this regard, Mr. Troussier is on the right track, as he found and promoted Thai Son, Dinh Bac..., even though he is facing many challenges that are not easy to overcome, and the upcoming matches at the ASIAN Cup are harsh and cruel proof./.