Ly Duc: Vietnam U22 team is ready for the SEA Games 33 final.
At a press conference on the morning of December 17th in Bangkok, defender Pham Ly Duc emphasized that the Vietnam U22 team respects the Thailand U22 team and has a plan to limit Yotsakorn Burapha, the striker who has scored 6 goals. The SEA Games 33 men's football final will take place at 7:30 PM on December 18th at the Rajamangala Stadium.
Ahead of the decisive match at Rajamangala Stadium, the Vietnam U22 team chose to communicate through discipline. At a press conference on the morning of December 17th in Bangkok, defender Pham Ly Duc – who was registered to represent the team along with head coach Kim Sang Sik – affirmed that the team was "ready for tomorrow's match" and entered the SEA Games 33 final with a respectful attitude towards their opponent but without backing down.
"We have great respect for our opponents and are ready for tomorrow's match. The whole team always listens to and follows the instructions of the coaching staff," Ly Duc said.
"Shut down" the sharpshooter in the number 9 shirt: the problem is not just about man-marking.
The focus of Ly Duc's discussion was the number 9 striker of the U22 Thailand team, Yotsakorn Burapha. According to data presented at the press conference, Burapha is leading the SEA Games 33 top scorer list with 6 goals, creating a 4-goal gap over the chasing group including Dinh Bac, Siraphop Wandee, and Jens Raven.
What's noteworthy is how the Vietnam U22 team described their defensive plan: not as an emotional challenge, but as preparation according to a "specific plan." "The coaching staff has specific plans to limit this player. Personally, I, as well as my teammates in the defense, will focus completely and execute the assigned tactics correctly," Ly Duc shared.
In a final match, "limiting" a striker in form doesn't just stop at a defender closely marking them. With Ly Duc's message, the focus of the Vietnam U22 team is teamwork: maintaining formation, controlling spaces in front of the penalty area, and blocking the supply lines to the opponent's most dangerous striker. When the opponent has the leading scorer, any lapse in concentration in defense can become a decisive moment.
The atmosphere at the press conference: respect for the opponent, but not for "tourism".
The pre-final press conference organized by the SEA Games 33 Organizing Committee was attended by head coach Kim Sang Sik and defender Pham Ly Duc. There, the Vietnam U22 team sent a sufficiently strong message: the goal is victory, but the path must be followed through on tactical discipline.
"We didn't come to the SEA Games for tourism, but to fight and win. Our predecessors who won the championship at Rajamangala Stadium did it, so we must do it too. When the coach trusts us, we must respond with our best performance," Ly Duc emphasized.
The "toughness" of the statement doesn't lie in belittling the opponent, but in the way the U22 Vietnam team takes responsibility upon themselves: having been trusted, they must repay that trust with a performance befitting a final match – where every small detail can lead to the Gold Medal.
Numbers to remember before kick-off.
Not many statistics were released at the press conference, but just one fact about the scoring race was enough to show the challenge facing the Vietnam U22 defense: Burapha is on a "different level" if judged purely by the number of goals. This makes the number one priority for Vietnam U22 clear: minimize the number of times the opponent gets the ball into the area where Burapha can finish.
| Player | Goal | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Yotsakorn Burapha | 6 | Leading the list of top scorers at SEA Games 33 |
| North Temple | 2 | They are in the same group, ranked second, 4 goals behind. |
| Siraphop Wandee | 2 | They are in the same group, ranked second, 4 goals behind. |
| Jens Raven | 2 | They are in the same group, ranked second, 4 goals behind. |
A source of emotional support and a promise to the fans.
At the end of the journey, Ly Duc dedicated his closing remarks to the Vietnamese fans – the group that had followed the team throughout the tournament. “We will play with more than 100% effort to bring the Gold Medal home for Vietnamese football and for the fans,” he said.
The SEA Games 33 men's football final between Vietnam U22 and Thailand U22 will take place at 7:30 PM on December 18th at the Rajamangala Stadium. Vietnam U22 will wear their traditional red kit. Ultimately, all pre-match pronouncements will be measured by their ability to keep a cool head when facing the tournament's leading scorer.
