Genius - Mr. Park Hang Seo

Vietnam Olympic team defeated Syria 1-0 thanks to Van Toan's goal in the 107th minute to reach the semi-finals of the men's football at the Asian Games. This is a miracle of Vietnamese football and it was achieved thanks to the "god-like" calculations of the Korean coach.

The opponent knew we would play with a 3-4-3 formation but could not neutralize it because Vietnam Olympic always had many different options.

resourceful

No Vietnamese journalist or football expert expected Cong Phuong to start from the start. However, the presence of Van Quyet and Cong Phuong on the wings made coach Alfakeer Muhannad’s players not dare to attack. Ha Duc Chinh was allowed to enter the field and play as a striker with the main task of disrupting the opponent’s play and exhausting their strength.

Mr. Park Hang Seo has left a big impression in the hearts of Vietnamese fans.

Mr. Park Hang Seo's intention for the trio Duc Chinh, Van Quyet, Cong Phuong is very clear. When having the ball, the destination is not the Syrian Olympic goal but trying to hold the ball, threatening the opponent so that the midfield must continuously run back to participate in the defense.

The two wingers Van Thanh and Van Hau also dribbled the ball to attack quickly, then passed it back to the central defenders. A "sloppy" style of play that both exhausted the opponent's energy, reduced the excitement of the Syrian Olympic players, and did not take too much of our players' energy.

The central midfielder pair Quang Hai and Duc Huy, when competing for and winning the ball, would send long passes upfield. Waiting for the Syrian Olympic players to retreat, the forwards would pass back, keeping the ball at their feet for a long time. After several generations of foreign coaches, this was the first time fans saw Vietnamese players patiently waiting according to the coaching staff's tactics.

It was not until the last minutes of the second half, when the Syrian Olympic players were exhausted, that they organized an attack. Vietnamese audiences witnessed the scene of a Syrian player getting angry and hitting Quang Hai in the face, causing him to bleed, or playing dirty by not kicking the ball out of bounds when a Vietnamese Olympic player was on the ground.

At the end of the match, not the Vietnamese Olympic players but the Syrian Olympic players were continuously lying on the field due to cramps and reduced physical strength.

Up to 3 out of 4 player changes were in Park Hang Seo's mind and were in the attack line. In which, bringing Van Duc in to replace Van Quyet was a surprising decision, even though at that time the captain number 10 could still compete with the opponent.

This is the moment when Mr. Park Hang Seo decided to play fast, exactly as our players showed at the 2018 AFC U23 Championship. The presence of Van Quyet will slow down the attack tempo because this player tends to use breakthrough personal techniques rather than quick passes in front of the 16.5m area.

Raising the team

A team that has won 5 consecutive matches at an Asian Games without conceding a goal cannot be said to be lucky. It can only be said that it is a team with experience and courage under the command of a highly skilled coach.

"We know everything about Olympic Vietnam because we played against them. In today's quarter-final match, my players also tried very hard. However, football is sometimes unfair. We created opportunities, many opportunities, but we could not take advantage of them," said coach Alfakeer Muhannad of Olympic Syria after the match. People think that is just a way of saying defeat.

Hanoi had a sleepless night after the victory of Vietnam Olympic.

In football, whoever scores the goal wins. It cannot be said that coach Alfakeer Muhannad did not carefully study the playing style of Vietnam Olympic team, but it is clear that coach Park Hang Seo is more skillful. Vietnam Olympic team under coach Park Hang Seo is not afraid of any big team.

Now, players always take to the field with the mindset of those who seek victory. We no longer play with the fear of the past, of the team being considered the underdog compared to the opponent.

The players who were defeated by Thailand in the 2017 SEA Games have now become the ones who have conquered the continental arena with pride. It is commendable and admirable of Coach Park that in such a short time he has been able to change the mentality of his players.