Vietnam's Olympic team: Glory is within reach!

Determination and a burning desire to win.

Before the tournament began, most experts and football fans in Vietnam did not anticipate Van Quyet and his teammates winning first place in their group. This was because the Vietnamese Olympic team had to compete against a very strong opponent, the Japanese Olympic team.

In the past, Vietnamese football had never beaten Japanese football at the national team level. However, things turned out quite unexpectedly. After successively defeating Olympic Pakistan (3-0) and Olympic Nepal (2-0), Coach Park Hang Seo's team officially qualified for the round of 16 with one match remaining.

Van Quyet and his teammates brilliantly achieved their goal of advancing from the group stage. Furthermore, in the final match, the Vietnamese Olympic team delighted their fans by defeating the Japanese Olympic team 1-0.

The Vietnamese Olympic team celebrates a goal against the Japanese Olympic team. Photo: Internet

Quang Hai's goal in the 3rd minute not only secured the top spot in the group for the Vietnamese Olympic team, but also gave Vietnamese football its first victory at the national team level in an official competition against the most powerful football nation in the continent - Japan.

This is a well-deserved reward for the efforts of coach Park Hang Seo and his team, and also a historic achievement for Vietnamese football.

Witnessing the performances of Van Quyet and his teammates in the matches against Olympic Pakistan, Olympic Nepal, and Olympic Japan, football fans could clearly see the hunger and determination in every run and every play.

The miraculous achievement at the U23 Asian Championship did not make Coach Park Hang Seo's players complacent or overconfident. The Vietnamese Olympic team maintained and further developed the fighting spirit they displayed in the tournament held in China earlier in 2018.

Glory and challenges lie ahead.

More than a month ago, coach Park Hang Seo shared: "As the head coach of the Vietnam U23 team, of course I feel a little pressure from the expectations of the media and fans for the team."

However, I always set specific goals for myself and the players so that we can perform well in any tournament. The team's primary goal is to get through the group stage and advance to the next round.”

Now that that goal has been achieved, the South Korean strategist will surely aim for higher, but realistic, targets. Having secured first place in Group D, Vietnam's Olympic team's next opponent in the Round of 16 will be one of the third-placed teams from Groups B, E, and F.

Therefore, Van Quyet and his teammates' next opponents will most likely be the Thai Olympic team (Group B), the Bahrain Olympic team (Group E), or the North Korean/Myanmar Olympic teams (Group F). Objectively speaking, the chances of Coach Park Hang Seo's team advancing are very high.

Quang Hai (19) and Van Toan (8) are in pretty good form. Photo: Internet

The teams mentioned above are not opponents of a higher caliber than the Vietnamese Olympic team, at least not at the present time. What the Olympic teams of Thailand, Bahrain, North Korea, and Myanmar have shown in their recent matches indicates they are not superior to our team, and are even inferior.

Of course, surprises are always possible in football. If Van Quyet and his teammates become complacent, the consequences for the Vietnamese Olympic team could be significant.

If they can maintain the same fighting spirit as they showed against the Japanese Olympic team, then a place in the quarterfinals will be hard to slip from the grasp of Coach Park Hang Seo's team. And fighting spirit is something Van Quyet and his teammates have in abundance.

Park's statement after the match against the Japanese Olympic team is clear evidence. The South Korean strategist said: "I clearly saw the fighting spirit and determination to win of the players in this match."

Besides their fighting spirit, the Vietnamese Olympic players also demonstrated their professional skills. In addition to key players who consistently perform at a high level such as Quang Hai, Van Quyet, Van Hau, Van Thanh, Duy Manh, Dinh Trong, and Xuan Truong, reserve players like Van Duc, Duc Huy, Xuan Manh, Van Toan, and Duc Chinh also showcased their abilities whenever they appeared on the field. This clearly shows that the Vietnamese Olympic team is very balanced and has depth.

Therefore, glory is no longer out of reach for Coach Park Hang Seo and his team!