Can U23 Vietnam overcome the 'West Asian mountain' U23 Yemen?

To find the answer, let's look back at the first half of the match between U23 Yemen and U23 Singapore (3-0) to see how the team considered the main opponent of U23 Yemen played.U23 Vietnamin the group. U23 Yemen played with great technique, speed, and versatility, scoring 3 goals in a row in 3 different ways (wing attack, long-range shot...), showing the diversity in playing style, fast attack and tight defense. In the second half of the above match, U23 Yemen mainly defended to preserve the score and they succeeded, both conserving their strength and hiding their plans.

Meanwhile, the opponent will certainly also carefully study the playing style of U23 Vietnam in the second half against U23 Guam (the home team scored 6 goals without reply), because this is the main lineup of U23 Vietnam, all the attacking directions are clearly shown in this half. Mr. Troussier himself, whether intentionally or unintentionally, made it clear that he let his students exploit the opponent's two weak flanks, with the mobility of Van Cuong, Minh Trong and then Van Khang to control the ball. In general, if the opponent carefully studies U23 Vietnam during the 32nd SEA Games, plus the second half of the match against U23 Guam as just mentioned, is it really possible to predict in theory?

However, saying it is one thing and doing it is another. First of all, with the excellent ability to surround and block of Thai Son-Duc Phu, will the midfielders of U23 Yemen have enough time to hold the ball, pass the ball to the right place to deploy the pieces according to the tactical plan? The two wingbacks of U23 Vietnam, Van Cuong and Minh Trong, will not allow the opponent to easily have the ball on the two wings to create for their teammates, while the mobility of these two factors will cause U23 Yemen to be forced deep into their own half in a state of constant alarm.

A Yemeni player said that U23 Vietnam only had to go down the sideline and then cross the ball harmlessly into the box, which may be an incomplete understanding of Mr. Troussier's students. Remember, Van Cuong, Minh Trong and especially Van Khang always have enough vision to make the most accurate decisions when necessary, and if the opponent is subjective and negligent, they will not have time to learn from their mistakes when the home net is shaking violently.

Of course, the most important player and the one who needs to be closely followed by U23 Yemen is the left-footed captain Ahmed Maher. The three central defenders of U23 Vietnam, Quang Thinh, Ngoc Thang, Tuan Tai, will likely have a hard day against the opponent, not to mention the Van Cuong-Minh Trong duo who are constantly mobile on both sides, not to mention Van Viet will also have a tense, nerve-wracking match compared to the leisurely opening match. It is easy to see that in the midfield, the mobility, pressing, and blocking of U23 Vietnam are quite good, but the creativity is waiting from the side with Van Khang, from the back row with Tuan Tai? In the attack, when Van Tung or Thanh Nhan are closely followed, U23 Vietnam certainly needs the flexibility and quickness of Van Cuong? Obviously, Mr. Troussier needs his students to execute many different exercises depending on the situation on the field, often countering each other and having tricky moves to finish off the opponent.

From the above predictions, it is possible that the starting lineup of U23 Vietnam today will include players who played in the second half of the recent match against U23 Guam? However, the possibility of Duy Cuong entering the field from the beginning is also likely to happen after he was rested in the opening match? That means basically, U23 Vietnam in this decisive match will have the best and most satisfactory cards in the hands of the French coach, who were tested at the 32nd SEA Games and added a few new factors such as Van Viet, Vy Hao...

Hopefully, U23 Vietnam will perform effective and attractive football, achieving the goal in this important match before thinking about the goal of winning the group to advance to the final round of U23 Asia?

Bui Hoa