Vietnamese player helps Saigon FC win against Afghanistan.

Viet Phong's goal was somewhat fortunate as the Afghan defender missed the ball. That was also a highlight of the closed-door training match between the two teams. The referee only issued one yellow card in this match, and it was given to Saigon FC.

Viet Phong is not on the list of players called up to the Vietnamese national team this time. He is currently training and playing friendly matches with Saigon FC before the V.League 2022 resumes in early July. This is his first season with his new team.

The Afghanistan national team completed their warm-up match before playing Vietnam on June 1st. Photo: NYT.

Starting on May 28th, Vietnam's opponents will move from the Thanh Long Sports Center to a different base camp. They will have four days to prepare for the match against Park Hang-seo's team at Thong Nhat Stadium on June 1st.

The Vietnamese national team also began their journey to Ho Chi Minh City on the afternoon of May 28th on flight QH245. The team is expected to arrive at Tan Son Nhat Airport at 4:25 PM. The training and accommodation schedule will be announced by the Vietnam Football Federation.

Information about the Afghanistan team is scarce for Park Hang-seo and his staff. This is a friendly match during the FIFA Days period to count towards the FIFA rankings. The Vietnamese national team only plays one match during this period.

Why did Man Utd choose Ten Hag?

"Ten Hag shows passion, energy and enthusiasm for the challenge," Murtough said during a meeting on the club's fan forum.

Accordingly, Ten Hag impressed with his long-term vision, his desire to build an attractive club with a philosophy that aligns with Man Utd's identity, his commitment to attacking football, his emphasis on developing young players, his champion mentality, and his passion for the game. However, Murtough also urged Man Utd fans to be patient as the 52-year-old coach rebuilds the club, despite praising Ten Hag as a champion with an impressive record at Ajax.

Ten Hag is expected to be the perfect choice for Man Utd in their rebuilding efforts. Photo: manutd.com

According to Murtough, Man Utd are also making changes at Carrington to support players and staff in their quest to return to the top. One of these concerns the scouting and selection team, where Murtough has been strengthening structures and processes. Man Utd's ability to utilize data in areas such as match preparation and selection has improved, thanks to the appointment of the club's first-ever chief data scientist.

Murtough also plans to revamp the club's infrastructure to maintain its world-class status. He said: "The most important thing is to create the right environment and culture so that the players can reach their full potential."

Meanwhile, CEO Richard Arnold, who took over from Ed Woodward in February, admitted that Man Utd had a disappointing season and hoped Ten Hag would bring a breath of fresh air. He also pledged a major overhaul to bring Man Utd back to its former glory and compete for trophies.

"The appointment of Ten Hag is of utmost importance," Arnold emphasized. "We are delighted to have appointed a new manager so soon, and we are eager to begin this new era. Manchester United cannot achieve success overnight, but we are determined and will continue to work hard to do so. I hope the fans will look forward to the next season with renewed optimism and confidence, as we look forward to a fresh start under Ten Hag."

Vietnam U23 team practices a super-attacking formation, honing high-pressure pressing.

“In the past few days, Coach Gong has been having the players practice tactics with an attacking focus based on a 4-3-3 formation. Unlike Coach Park Hang-seo, who prefers defensive counter-attacks, the new coach wants us to play more offensively with short passing drills,” midfielder Van Cong shared before the training session on the evening of May 26th.

Starting from the second training session of their training camp in the UAE, the Vietnam U23 team showed signs of settling into their new rhythm, with the group of players returning from the SEA Games 31 demonstrating their ability to quickly adapt to coach Gong Oh Kyun's tactical intentions and integrate into the team's overall playing style.

In recent training sessions, coach Gong Oh Kyun has significantly increased the intensity of the training, focusing on high-pressure pressing, movement, coordination, and finishing in tight spaces. Unlike coach Park Hang-seo's emphasis on defensive solidity, coach Gong Oh Kyun is a proponent of an attacking style. He wants to build a Vietnamese U23 team that plays an attacking, dominant style with a 4-3-3 or 4-3-2-1 formation.

The Vietnam U23 team is actively training to play a new formation under coach Gong Oh Kyun. Photo: VFF

The attacking style of play, based on the new tactical formation being implemented by the new South Korean head coach for the Vietnam U23 team, demands great flexibility and mobility from the players. The current Vietnam U23 team has a foundation of experienced defense and an attacking line that has played together for many years in the youth ranks. In addition, the ability to control, circulate the ball, and quickly finish when opportunities arise are also key factors contributing to the strength of this playing style.

That's also what coach Gong Oh Kyun and his coaching staff are striving to instill in their players. Encouragingly, the U23 Vietnam players have shown progress in each training session, and their physical fitness has been maintained quite well, allowing them to complete the training program.

On the evening of May 27th, the Vietnam U23 team will have another training session before testing their personnel and playing style in a friendly match against the UAE U23 team, which will take place on the evening of May 28th. This match serves the professional needs of both teams in preparation for the U23 Asian Championship, so it will be played behind closed doors and without media coverage.

Hien Tung