'Endoscopy' of Cambodia team before match against Vietnam team

The Cambodian team just won the first 3 points in the AFF Suzuki Cup after defeating Laos 3-0. This makes the Vietnamese team need to be wary of the team with these 2 coaches. After the first victory, coach Ryu Hirose (Cambodia) said: "I am very happy with the victory against Laos. Especially in this match, we were able to control the ball, score some goals and keep a clean sheet. We want to continue to maintain possession and score goals, playing high regardless of the opponent. We will continue to do this in the final match against the Vietnamese team."

Slow to get started

Cambodian players often appear to be slow to start the game. In both matches against Malaysia and Indonesia, they conceded goals in the first half. The Angkor warriors especially have difficulty when their superior opponents choose a high pressing style of play. The two Japanese coaches currently do not have players who can escape pressing like Tuan Anh on the side.Vietnam team. So when the opponent plays hard, the Cambodian players often lose the ball in their own half. With the mobility of Quang Hai and Van Duc, we will certainly cause difficulties for the opponent team.

The Cambodian team just won the first 3 points at the AFF Suzuki Cup 2020 after defeating Laos 3-0. Photo: AFF Cup Organizing Committee

The Cambodian team often plays with a 4-3-3 formation, with two players taking turns playing as strikers, Keo Sokpheng (14) and Van Chathanaka (11), who have been dubbed the “Cambodian Messi”. The 27-year-old player, who is currently playing in the Malaysian Championship, is one of the brightest stars of Coach Keisuke Honda’s team. This number 11 is only 1.73m tall and does not have a physical advantage, but in return, he has good personal technique, speed and the ability to create breakthroughs. After scoring two goals against the Lao team in the first half, Coach Honda let him rest from the beginning of the second half to save energy for the upcoming match against the Vietnamese team.

Professional identification

The Cambodian team under the two Japanese coaches, although not having many good midfielders, tends to like to hold the ball and take the initiative. In the first 3 matches of the AFF Cup, Cambodia kept the ball 57% of the time against Malaysia and 55% against Indonesia, and in the match against Laos, a weaker opponent, they had the ball up to 65%. "We want to impose our game on any opponent, even if it is Brazil," said coach Hirose happily.

“Cambodian Messi, who is playing in the Malaysian Championship, is one of the brightest stars of coach Keisuke Honda’s team. Photo: AFF Cup Organizing Committee

The two goals conceded in the second half of the match against Malaysia were scored when coach Tan Cheng-Hoe's players played tightly and launched lightning-fast attacks. Surely coach Park and the coaching staff and players of the Vietnamese team will carefully study the playing style of the Angkor warriors.

In the match against Indonesia, despite conceding 4 goals, the Cambodian team scored 2 goals from set pieces. One from a corner kick by Keo Sokpheng (14) and one from a free kick from substitute Prak Mony Udom. This shows that Cambodia has many players who can take free kicks and they are also well prepared in their attack plans from dead ball situations.

Coach Park Hang-seo’s team only needs 1 point in the match against Cambodia to officially qualify for the semi-finals, but Vietnamese fans are thinking of a big win to create psychological momentum for the players. Up to now, the only team that has not conceded a goal in the AFF Cup is Vietnam, and Nguyen Manh will have another chance to keep a clean sheet.

The match between Vietnam and Cambodia takes place at 7:30 p.m. on December 19 at Bishan Stadium.