Thai journalist: Vietnam U22 is slightly better than Thailand U22.
Ahead of the SEA Games 33 men's football final at 7:30 PM on December 18th at Rajamangala Stadium, journalist Bang Pakong believes that the Vietnam U22 team was more convincing with improved attack and better control, while the Thailand U22 team remained sluggish despite winning 1-0 against Malaysia thanks to a free kick.
Just before the SEA Games 33 men's football final, veteran sports journalist Bang Pakong made a noteworthy assessment: Coach Kim Sang-sik's U22 Vietnam team was showing a "more positive face" compared to U22 Thailand, the host team of the gold medal match.
The final match between U22 Thailand and U22 Vietnam will take place at...7:30 PM on December 18that the stadiumRajamangala.
Bang Pakong: Vietnam U22 'outperforms' in playing style.
In his pre-match analysis, Bang Pakong stated that he watched the entire semi-final match between Vietnam U22 and the Philippines U22, and then compared it with the performance of Thailand U22.
"I have to admit that the Vietnam U22 team, with many players bearing the surname Nguyen, displayed a superior style of play compared to the Thailand U22 team.", he remarked.
The highlight of Bang Pakong's assessment lies in the rhythm and coherence of the Vietnam U22 team: according to him, the quality of attack has improved significantly compared to the group stage. It's not just about finishing or final chances, he emphasized...ball distribution methodsandability to control the game—factors that often determine which team is the "bigger" in a final match.
Thailand U22: 1-0 victory but many questions remain.
Conversely, Bang Pakong argued that the U22 Thailand team entered the gold medal match with a less-than-convincing semi-final performance. The winning team...U22 Malaysia 1-0The decision-making board comes from...Yotsakorn Burapha's free kick.
"The U22 Thailand team played cautiously, just enough to advance. After the opening goal, the team failed to create any significant highlights. The players appeared sluggish, lacked cohesion, and did not live up to expectations.,” Bang Pakong analyzed.
The detail makes the criticism even more serious: according to Bang Pakong, the U22 Thailand team...playing with a man advantage for most of the timeBut it still didn't break away with the dominant performance that people expected from a gold medal contender playing at home.
Warning moment: Thailand still allows opponents to counterattack.
Bang Pakong described a paradox in the U22 Thailand team's performance in the semi-finals: despite having a numerical advantage, the team still allowed "10 Malaysian players" to launch dangerous counter-attacks on several occasions.
"Fortunately, goalkeeper Sarawat Phosaman remained calm, helping the team avoid several dangerous situations right inside the penalty area.", he said.
In a final match, where the margin of error is virtually zero, these kinds of "escapes" can be a harbinger of a tense evening—especially if the opponent is a team praised for its ability to control the game.
The question of squad strength and fitness for the U22 Thailand team.
Besides form and tactics, Bang Pakong also pointed out objective factors regarding the squad that prevented the U22 Thailand team from reaching optimal condition. According to him, the SEA Games are not part of the overall strategy.FIFA DaysTherefore, the coachThawatchai Damrong-OngtrakulWe don't have the best options at hand.
"One must sympathize with coach Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul. The SEA Games are not FIFA Days, so he didn't have his best players available.“,” wrote Bang Pakong.
He further emphasized that many U22 Thai players have to divide their time between their clubs and the national team, leading to...The physical fitness level is not guaranteed.and directly impacted the performance at the 33rd SEA Games.
The final at Rajamangala Stadium: home advantage or the pressure to win?
Bang Pakong's comments created a clear contrast before kick-off: one side praised for progress in deployment and control; the other entering the biggest match of the tournament after a minimal victory, relying on set pieces and showing signs of fatigue.
For the U22 Thailand team, Rajamangala Stadium could be a strong point. But from Bang Pakong's perspective, it's also where they have to answer the biggest question: can a team that wins 1-0 "just enough" raise the bar to keep up with the pace of an opponent who is considered more convincing?
