When Philippe Troussier persevered with his experiments

There is very little information about the match other than the fact that the two goalscorers for the Central Asian team were Joel Kojo (31st minute) and Ayzar Akmatov (75th minute), and Truong Tien Anh scored the equalizer (63rd minute).

On the Vietnamese side, 29 players were fielded, with each playing an average of over 20 minutes, except for goalkeeper Nguyen Filip who played over 30 minutes. The only player who didn't play a single minute was center-back Duy Manh, who had just recovered from injury.

Clearly, unlike many of his predecessors and other coaches, Philippe Troussier persists in experimenting until the very last minute of friendly matches to find the best lineup.

Recalling the previous friendly matches against the Hong Kong-Chinese Taipei, Syria, and Palestine teams before the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, the French coach constantly experimented with various positions, especially with new players and young talents. This time, with a significantly changed squad, mainly due to injuries to key players, he continues to search for replacements.

One of the players he persistently experimented with but who didn't meet the requirements was Truong Tien Anh, who was dropped from the squad for two official matches.Vietnam national teamPreviously, he was given another opportunity by the coach, and in fact, he has somewhat met the requirements of the task. The goal Tiến Anh scored in the recent friendly match helped him "score points" in the eyes of the coaching staff and proved why the coach had been keeping a close eye on this player for a long time.

Without witnessing the players' performance and the coaching staff's adjustments during the narrow defeat, it's difficult to assess individual positions or the team's overall operation. However, the disappointment among many fans is inevitable, given that the team led by Troussier is generating very little confidence or hope for a breakthrough, especially against top continental opponents. But until the official tournament begins, everything remains shrouded in mystery and is difficult to predict…

In fact, strong opponents in the upcoming continental tournament, such as Japan and Iraq, have already proven their superiority in both official and friendly matches. The question is, what progress are other teams of the same age in the region, such as Thailand and Indonesia, showing, or are they falling behind? Thailand recently suffered a humiliating 0-5 defeat against Japan in just one half. Indonesia, Vietnam's opponent in both the 2nd round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the 2023 Asian Cup, just lost both friendly matches against Libya 1-6, yet they still boast loudly, as if to lessen their fear? Of course, both our opponents and we are in the process of experimenting and finding suitable players through various methods for a common goal. The final outcome remains to be seen.

Before the first match of the 2023 Asian Cup, the French coach will register the final 26-member squad for the Vietnamese national team as per regulations, meaning four players will be left out. Hope rests on newcomers like Nguyen Filip, Tien Anh, Ngoc Bao…, young players like Dinh Bac, Thai Son, Minh Trong, Van Khang… and of course, the necessary brilliance of the trio Quang Hai - Tuan Hai - Van Toan.

The team will face numerous difficulties and challenges against the "giants" Japan and Iraq, and the players' task is to minimize mistakes and errors to achieve favorable results in the race against the third-placed teams in each group. They must focus all their efforts on the crucial match against Indonesia in the second round of Group D as planned, with a victory being the essential outcome.

Many have suggested that the French coach's "fate" will be largely determined by the result of the match against Indonesia; would this be the next logical outcome after his extremely disappointing coaching performance recently? However, there might be another perspective: the Asian Cup has never been a real source of hope for the Vietnamese national team, despite reaching the quarterfinals twice recently. Meanwhile, the second and third rounds of World Cup qualifiers, with their lengthy schedules and home and away matches, offer renewed hope, and the Vietnamese team has even come close to securing a World Cup ticket. Therefore, is patience with the French coach's approach necessary and justified?

Regardless of whether things go as planned or not, the crucial requirement of boosting the fighting spirit and strengthening the Vietnamese national team needs to be revived more strongly than ever under the leadership of Mr. Troussier. In these difficult times, the leading role of key players and stars like Quang Hai, Tuan Hai, etc., along with the youthful energy and determination of Thai Son, Dinh Bac, Van Khang, etc., is essential. Furthermore, every moment spent on the big regional and continental stage is a valuable experience for these young talents, giving them the opportunity to prove their potential and prepare for new, greater responsibilities in the future.

More than ever, the Vietnamese national team needs the necessary support from experts and a large number of fans both domestically and internationally. Football is a game of national pride, of passionate and unwavering love, of dedication and commitment, of striving for excellence alongside a touch of extraordinary luck…

The Vietnamese national team at the Asian Cup was fortunate, as many know, but luck can be fickle for anyone. Therefore, we need new and different approaches to move forward, to elevate our level, and to achieve victory in the future.

In this respect, Mr. Troussier is heading in the right direction, as evidenced by his discovery and utilization of players like Thai Son and Dinh Bac, even though he faces many difficult challenges, which the upcoming Asian Cup matches will demonstrate as harsh and ruthless evidence.