19:00 My Dinh Stadium, Vietnam National Team - Uzbekistan National Team: Earning the first point

If Vietnam had had better results instead of the series of 3 consecutive defeats in the first 3 matches of Group E of the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers, the confrontation with Uzbekistan tonight might have had a different meaning.

That is because although coach Nguyen Van Sy and his team are trying very hard not to consider this a formality, everyone implicitly understands that the remaining 3 matches of the Vietnam National Team in the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers are only for honor, because we are almost eliminated.

However, even if there is still a chance to compete for a ticket to the 2015 Asian Cup Finals, it is difficult for the Vietnamese team to think about the possibility of winning against the Uzbekistan team, because clearly, in terms of professional level, this Central Asian team is still one level above us.

The Vietnamese players who participated in the first leg in Taskent all admitted that Uzbekistan is a very difficult opponent to play against, because they are fast, skillful and have superior physical and fitness advantages compared to us. Therefore, even if they only aim for a draw at My Dinh, it is not certain that coach Nguyen Van Sy and his team can complete the task, because the Uzbekistan team is in dire need of 3 more points to continue the race with the top team UAE.

Will Quoc Anh and his teammates get their first points in the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers after tonight's match? Photo: VSI

However, saying that does not mean that the Vietnamese team will accept defeat easily, because the home field advantage of coach Nguyen Van Sy and his team still has a certain meaning, and even though today My Dinh National Stadium may not be full of spectators, the players still declare that they will play their best in the spirit of "while there is life, there is hope".

It is very possible that when playing in a relaxed state of mind without the pressure of achievement, and against an opponent who is still somewhat tired from the exhausting journey, the Vietnamese team will be able to do something at My Dinh National Stadium.

Immediately after this match, the Vietnam team will have to travel to the UAE to compete with the home team in the 5th round of matches taking place on November 19, 2013. This is a trip that promises to be very difficult for the Vietnam team, because in the first leg, although playing at home, the students of coach Hoang Van Phuc were still defeated by the opponent with a score of 1-2, so the chance for the Vietnam team to win the second leg in Abu Dhabi is very small.

Therefore, if we cannot defeat or at least draw with Uzbekistan in tonight's match, it is likely that Vietnam will have to wait until early March next year to get their first point in the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers, when we host Hong Kong (China) in the final match.

This is certainly a scenario that no member of the Vietnam National Team wants, because if that happens, the Vietnam National Team will have to go through more than a year without a win in the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers, starting from February 6, 2013 (losing to UAE) and ending on March 5, 2014 (meeting Hong Kong). Therefore, tonight, the match with Uzbekistan is the right opportunity for the Vietnam National Team to end the losing streak since the beginning of the 2015 Asian Cup qualifiers until now.

Prediction: 1-1

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