Vietnam U22 team wins big thanks to 'switches and substitutions'.

(Baonghean.vn) - We secured a resounding 4-0 victory against U22 East Timor in our opening match thanks to the U22 Vietnam coaching staff's bold decision to 'switch wings' and replace two wing midfielders.

Experts generally agree that the key to the victory was coach Huu Thang's bold decision to move Van Thanh to the right wing and replace both wing midfielders to increase pressure on the East Timor defense.

Boldly using people

Although Duy Hau, the left-back, was included by Fox Sport in their list of the best young Asian players for the U20 World Cup, not every coach dares to use him. Especially since defender Van Thanh has performed exceptionally well in this position for both the national team and the U22 Vietnam team. The player from Thai Binh, born in 1999, is the youngest on the team but already boasts an impressive collection of achievements. He not only helped the U19 Vietnam team achieve a miracle at the 2016 U19 Championship but also won the U21 National Championship in 2016 and the U19 National Championship in 2017 with Hanoi FC.

U22 East Timor coach Kim Shin Hwan admitted that U22 Vietnam had a good strategy against U22 East Timor. Photo: Internet.

At 1.82m tall, the youngest player, Van Hau, has the most ideal physique in the Vietnam U22 team. This defender is one of the players who fully completed the training program of the German coach. Van Hau's playing style is relatively similar to Lam Tan, a player from Nghe An who rose to fame at the 2000 U16 Asian Championship in Da Nang, due to his outstanding strength and physical endurance, and his good acceleration.

The move to the right wing, pushing Van Thanh, a versatile player, is nothing new. At HAGL, Van Thanh had previously played and succeeded on the right wing due to his mobility and adaptability. However, using Van Hau is a groundbreaking move. In fact, Van Thanh has played quite well with both Van Toan and Lam Ti Phong, and Van Hau has played his role well with Hong Duy and excellently with Quang Hai. Remember, this is only Van Hau's first appearance for the Vietnam U22 team; if he continues to play like this, the young man from Thai Binh will have a place in the national team.

Effective substitutions.

To be honest, Van Toan and Hong Duy didn't play badly until they were substituted, and with a bit more luck, they could have even scored a goal. But clearly, on a slippery pitch with a wet ball against the young U22 East Timor players, the U22 Vietnam coaching staff needs to refresh the attack. While Lam Ti Phong is a player with good physique and excellent stamina who can play aggressively on the left wing, Quang Hai is a player with tactical thinking and a tricky, disruptive dribbling style.

The U22 Vietnam coaching staff proactively switched Van Thanh's position on the wing and made two sensible substitutions for the wing midfielders. Photo: Internet.

With Van Hau and Quang Hai both playing on the left wing for Hanoi FC, they have formed a formidable partnership, seamlessly transitioning between attack and defense. Van Hau also provides excellent support for the trio of Tuan Anh, Cong Phuong, and Quang Hai. The presence of Lam Ti Phong allows Van Thanh to participate more actively in attack than before.

While in the first half Van Toan and Hong Duy were the ones capable of controlling the ball with short passes alongside Tuan Anh and Cong Phuong, in the second half, the wingers were the more aggressive, daring to take the ball and penetrate the 16.5-meter area. With their good physical condition, Lam Ti Phong and Quang Hai were ready to compete with the young East Timor players to stretch the opponent's defense. The goals scored by Cong Phuong and Tuan Anh were all part of Huu Thang's plan and the U22 Vietnam coaching staff. Lam Ti Phong and Quang Hai wore down and disrupted the playing style of the young East Timor players with their constant movement.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, East Timor U22 coach Kim Shin Hwan admitted: "I am somewhat satisfied with this result. We played well in the first half, but in the second half, because we have many young players, they ran out of steam and conceded goals in quick succession."

As the water receded, the ball moved faster. The U22 Vietnam coaching staff made the right decision by fielding players with better physiques, faster play, and overwhelming the visiting team. According to the South Korean coach, he knew this but lacked the personnel to implement it. "I feel a little regretful that the rain prevented U22 East Timor from playing their planned attacking game against Vietnam. We wanted to play offensively, but that wasn't possible."

AT