The rise of the 'underdogs' at AFF Cup 2024; Two 'corners' of the Vietnam team
The 2024 AFF Cup has seen the rise of "underdog" teams such as Laos, Cambodia, East Timor...; Do Duy Manh and Bui Tien Dung are two of the players from coach Park Hang-seo's time who are still wearing the Vietnamese national team jersey at the present time... Those are the outstanding sports news in the past 24 hours.
The rise of the underdogs at AFF Cup 2024
The 2024 AFF Cup has witnessed many surprises when teams that were "point treasures" rose strongly with admirable fighting spirit. After being "shot down" by Thailand in the first match at Hang Day Stadium, East Timor made the Malaysian team struggle to win 3-2 at Bukit Jalil Stadium. Cambodia also excellently held former champion Malaysia to a 2-2 draw in a "superior" match in the opening match of the 2024 AFF Cup.
The tenacity of the Laos team to hold championship candidate Indonesia to a draw at Manahan Stadium was the culmination of the rise of the "underdog".
Up to now, when the AFF Cup 2024 has gone halfway through the group stage, we have seen the rise of the "underdog" teams, which are traditionally considered the "points warehouse" of the AFF Cup tournament.
Two "cornerstones" of the Vietnam team
Do Duy Manh and Bui Tien Dung are two of the players from coach Park Hang-seo's time who are still wearing the Vietnamese national team jersey at the present time.
Center back Duy Manh always plays with the spirit of a "warrior". He is also very emotional and sociable with his teammates at both the club and national team level. That is also the reason why Duy Manh was trusted by the coaching staff and the Vietnamese team to be voted as captain at this ASEAN Cup.
Duy Manh is part of the "golden generation" of Vietnamese football under the guidance of coach Park Hang-seo, creating many impressive milestones in the Asian arena, since 2018. Before that, the player of Hanoi FC was called up to the national team many times, from U16 to U23.
Tien Dung is also a player who has participated in many different international tournaments under coach Park Hang-seo. At the peak of his performance, this defender born in 1995 was always chosen to wear the captain's armband, commanding the defense with a "steel" fighting spirit.
Experts consider Tien Dung to be the most skilled central defender in Vietnamese football today, thanks to his sharp ability to read defensive situations and clever ball-fighting skills. However, the burden of age makes it impossible for Tien Dung to maintain a stable physical condition and play at a high frequency.
In the opening match against host Laos, Tien Dung was the one who assisted young talent Hai Long to score the opening goal, relieving pressure and breaking the deadlock for the Vietnamese team. Long ball skills and "air combat" are the strengths of the defender from The Cong Viettel.
The defense of the Vietnamese team participating in the ASEAN Cup 2024 is a blend of experience and youth. The defense line is also where coach Kim Sang-sik places the most trust and expectations in this tournament.
Real Madrid surprise
On December 13, Real Madrid announced the squad list for the Intercontinental Cup final.
Real Madrid will travel to Qatar as Champions League winners and will play the final on December 18 against the winner of the match between Pachuca and Al Ahly.
It is worth noting that Real Madrid decided to bring all their players, including those who are injured and some young players from the Castilla team.
Dani Carvajal and Eder Militao, who were told they would miss the rest of the season, are still in the squad, as is David Alaba, who is also injured.
Amorim issues third ban at MU
Ruben Amorim has handed out another ban with the aim of helping Manchester United's stars "run like mad dogs" to return to competing for titles.
According toESPN, ahead of the Manchester derby on the evening of December 14 (Hanoi time), Amorim banned players from eating in the dressing room. This is a bold move to ensure the players maintain the best physical condition. He wants MU to quickly respond to the football philosophy that requires high physical strength and intensity.
This is just one of the revolutionary rules Amorim has imposed since taking the hot seat at Old Trafford, having previously instituted two prominent bans.
First, Amorim banned technical staff coaches from giving complex instructions. He insisted that all tactical ideas be communicated clearly and concisely. This rule quickly gained acceptance among the players, especially when the team switched to a 3-4-3 formation.
Next up is the ban on holidays during the season. This was introduced after Marcus Rashford and Casemiro were criticised for flying to the US during the international break. Amorim immediately ordered that players would not be allowed to take holidays or travel far during the season.