Coach Philippe Troussier: It's no surprise that Vietnam lost to China
(Baonghean.vn) - Speaking after the friendly match, coach Philippe Troussier said it was not surprising that the Vietnamese team lost to China.
On the evening of October 10, at the Dalian Sports Center Stadium (China), the Vietnamese team lost to China with a score of 0-2 in a friendly match on the occasion of FIFA Days in October 2023.
Speaking at a post-match press conference, coach Philippe Troussier said: "In terms of goals, we succeeded. The Vietnamese players are no longer afraid when playing with ball control. The result is not surprising. Losing is losing. Of course we are disappointed to lose to China. But if we look at the process, the Vietnamese team can beat China. In the match, we had as many opportunities as the opponent. My students are being rebuilt and we are gradually preparing for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers and the 2024 Asian Cup."
"In today's match, I asked for ball control and let the players make their own decisions. In the past six months, I have tried to change the philosophy of the Vietnamese team and let the players not be afraid to hold the ball. From the performance and attitude of the players as well as the solidarity of the team, I am very happy and satisfied. Of course, I am not surprised with the result. We will summarize the problems and do better in the next match," the French strategist assessed.
Meanwhile, center-back Que Ngoc Hai said: "In general, the Vietnamese team showed some positive aspects. We used many young players. This is to prepare for the start of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in November. The Vietnamese team is not disappointed, but we still have to hold our heads high. Let's wait and prepare for the next match.
"After more than a year, many changes have taken place in both teams, especially the head coach position. Our techniques and tactics have changed a lot and the players have to adapt to the new playing style. The same goes for the Chinese team. I believe the two teams can have positive changes under the leadership of the new coach to prepare for the next match," the player from Nghe An concluded.
After this match, coach Philippe Troussier and his team will have another friendly match in China against Uzbekistan on October 13./.