Coach Kim Sang-sik: 'Vietnam team is ready to overcome pressure at Bukit Jalil'
Before the match against Malaysia, coach Kim Sang-sik affirmed that the Vietnamese team was ready to overcome pressure from the audience at Bukit Jalil to aim for the goal of winning all 3 points.
Ahead of the away match against Malaysia in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup, head coach Kim Sang-sik expressed his high determination and great expectations for the Vietnamese team.
Sharing with the media, coach Kim highly appreciated the spirit and attitude of the players: "The team started gathering on May 30. Although a few players from the Hanoi Police Club and Binh Duong arrived late, causing some problems in the initial preparations, the whole team quickly integrated and showed a very good training spirit."
Regarding the squad, coach Kim expressed regret at the absence of striker Nguyen Cong Phuong due to injury: “Cong Phuong was called up for the first time under my tenure, but unfortunately got injured and had to leave the team. This is a big loss because his playing experience is very necessary for the match against Malaysia. However, with the remaining 23 players, we will continue to improve our playing style and prepare most carefully for the match.”
When asked about Vietnam’s impressive record against Malaysia over the past decade, coach Kim commented: “The fact that Malaysia has not won against Vietnam for over 10 years is special, especially when they and Thailand have always been rivals with many fates. That achievement reflects the careful preparation and confidence of the Vietnamese players. I hope the team will continue to maintain this confidence.”
However, the Korean strategist also admitted that the current squad faces many challenges: “We are facing many difficulties due to the absence of some key players due to injury, while Malaysia has added about 8-10 new naturalized players. This makes analyzing the opponent more complicated. However, the whole team is still closely monitoring and preparing the most suitable options for the match.”
Speaking specifically about rookie Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, coach Kim highly appreciated the adaptability and versatility of this player: “Quang Vinh can play in many positions such as left center back, full back or winger. This brings significant flexibility to the team's tactical system. We will continue to analyze to make the most of his strengths as well as other players.”
Referring to the pressure from the Bukit Jalil stadium audience, coach Kim said the team has experience competing in similar conditions:
“In the second leg of the 2024 ASEAN Cup final in Thailand, we played under great pressure from the Rajamangala Stadium stands. The important thing is that the players must believe in themselves, their teammates and the coaching staff to overcome the pressure and aim for the best results.”
According to the plan, the Vietnamese team will leave for Malaysia on the morning of June 6. Coach Kim Sang-sik clearly affirmed the team's goal: "Any match brings pressure, but the joy will double when we overcome difficulties and win. I believe the players will unite and fight with all their might. Although the qualifying round has a home-away format, we aim to not lose points and aim for 3 full points against Malaysia. For me, victory is always the highest goal of the Vietnamese team."
Captain Do Duy Manh also shared the players' determination: "Before the match against Malaysia, the whole team and I are very determined to achieve the best results. Bukit Jalil Stadium will certainly be a difficult challenge, but we will promote our collective strength, follow the tactics of the coaching staff and prepare carefully for a successful match"./.