The story of heroes and villains at the 2023 Asian Cup

Having won the top spot in Group D, having won convincingly against the Japanese Team (2-1) ranked No. 1 in Asia and No. 17 in the world, along with winning all the group stage with 9 absolute points, currently ranked No. 7 in Asia and No. 63 in the world, the Iraqi Team was unexpectedly defeated in the knockout round against the No. 13 in Asia and No. 87 in the world, the Jordan Team.

What is more noteworthy is that the direct cause of this defeat came from the number 1 star of the Iraqi team, striker Aymen Hussen (18), who is currently the top scorer in the tournament with 6 goals and was the one who scored to raise the score to 2-1 for the home team before making the most regrettable mistake of his career? From the "hero" of the match and the tournament, in an incomprehensible moment, Aymen became the "sinner" of the match and the tournament, leaving an extremely bitter lesson for not only this famous striker but also for all the football stars of Iraq, Asia and the world.

That is to say, in highly competitive, high-class football, anything can happen. Talent is revealed, class is proven, goals of a lifetime are scored, joy is enjoyed, which is always real and vivid in every match, every success achieved. But the “Achilles heel” is revealed, mistakes happen in a split second, excesses come unexpectedly and irresistibly… can come at any time, even right after boundless joy, like the way Aymen, after scoring a beautiful goal, immediately celebrated by… sitting down and making a gesture that the referee considered “provocative behavior towards the opponent” and must be punished!

Not to mention, in the Vietnam National Team, in the recent match against the Iraq National Team in the group stage, Van Khang is a concrete example, although at a lower level. Van Khang had a beautiful assist for Viet Anh to score the opening goal, along with a yellow card for diving, and was warned by the referee once for foul play. But then this young talent still played without control, leading to rude behavior that was punished with a second yellow card, equivalent to a red card, and had to leave the field right at the end of the first half of the match. Not yet a "hero", but Van Khang had reached the level of a "sinner" in that defeat of the Vietnam National Team, very similar to the situation of the Iraq National Team's loss to Jordan.

Of course, the story is different in that Van Khang is a young player, lacking international experience, while Aymen, born in 1996, has spent many years rolling around on the continental football field, and cannot be said to be immature or impulsive. Is it true that mistakes are... a part of football, unavoidable for anyone in important, dramatic matches? Those who are knowledgeable can mention names like Platini, Zico, Beckham... who missed penalties at decisive moments? And world football has witnessed many talented players who have made great achievements, but are also the big culprits in the defeats and goals conceded by their team? Is that really always present here and there, always so real that it is unbelievable?

The problem is that after making a mistake, after going through a “dark chapter”, the player must have a higher determination, a more persistent will to overcome, to make up for his sins. There are many players who, due to their mistakes, caused their team to concede a goal, but they know how to rush forward and score for their team, like many central defenders often achieve in life-and-death matches. Like the way goalkeepers do not enter or clear the ball well to concede a goal, but know how to win in the 11m penalty shootout or in unimaginable save situations. Of course, no player wants or allows himself to be considered a “sinner”. The main thing is to know how to recognize mistakes and know how to correct mistakes as quickly as possible, bringing everything back to balance. Not to mention that in football, luck can sometimes “save” obvious losses, fragile tournaments, the fragile gap between “heroes” and “sinners”.

Therefore, talents should know how to stay away from that fragile distance that no one wants to encounter, although this is always easier said than done in life and in football, although "love" and "anger" towards a person often go hand in hand, always co-exist together./.

Bui Hoa