Asian Cup 2019: Getting a point against Iran, why not?

Thanh Hung• January 11, 2019 15:17

(Baonghean.vn) - In the second match of the group stage of the 2019 Asian Cup, Coach Park Hang-seo's team will face a match that is predicted to be "more difficult than easy" as they will have to confront the championship contender - the Iranian national team.

Speaking to the press, midfielder Tran Minh Vuong affirmed: “The Vietnamese national team has put aside the sadness and regret after the recent loss to Iraq to focus on the next matches of the Asian Cup. In the next match, we will face Iran - the team considered the strongest in Group D. This will certainly be a very difficult match, but in reality, we respect them and are not afraid of them at all.”

It's true that in every respect, the Vietnamese team cannot compare to the representative from the West Asian region. How strong is the Iranian team? They are the top team in the continent (according to the latest FIFA rankings). They just competed in the 2018 World Cup, where the Iranian team almost beat Portugal to secure a place in the knockout round.

ĐT Iran đang là đội bóng số 1 của châu Á. Ảnh: Albawaba.com
The Iranian national team is currently the number one team in Asia. Photo: Albawaba.com
Coach Carlos Queiros and his team possess all the elements of a strong squad. The Portuguese strategist spent many years as an assistant to former manager Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United and also managed Real Madrid… Coach Carlos Queiros has a host of top players currently playing in prestigious leagues, notably the Premier League (striker Jahanbakhsh - Brighton FC).

However, expert Nguyen Thanh Vinh argued: “In football, there is always an element of surprise. It's not like 2 + 2 = 4, 2 x 3 = 6. The stronger team doesn't necessarily win. Iran is strong, but that doesn't mean our team has a chance to get one point, or even all three points. I believe that if we play according to our tactics and have a little luck, Coach Park Hang-seo's team will achieve a very positive result.”

Former coach Nguyen Thanh Vinh's belief is entirely justified, as Vietnamese football has achieved resounding successes in the past. The runner-up position at the 2018 AFC U23 Championship and fourth place at the 18th Asian Games are prime examples. Regarding Iranian football, the Vietnamese Olympic team once thrashed the Iranian Olympic team 4-1 in the group stage of the 17th Asian Games held in South Korea in 2014. Therefore, the goal of earning points against Iran in the upcoming match is entirely achievable for Coach Park Hang-seo's team.

ĐT Việt Nam cũng đang là ĐKVĐ AFF Cup. Ảnh: Zing.vn
The Vietnamese national team is also the reigning AFF Cup champion. Photo: Zing.vn
Besides often having good fortune against representatives from the West Asian region, Vietnamese football itself has made remarkable progress recently. Success at the 2018 AFC U23 Championship, the 18th Asian Games, and the 2018 AFF Cup served as a "doping boost" for the fighting spirit of Que Ngoc Hai and his teammates. And in many aspects of life, especially football, spirit is an extremely powerful weapon.

Until the referee blows the final whistle, anything can happen. Whether the Vietnamese team defeats the Iranian team in the match at 6 PM on January 12th is quite a common occurrence in football.

Thanh Hung