U23 Vietnam easily defeated U23 Laos: Hiding cards or lacking enthusiasm; Thailand won big in the opening match
The 3-0 score was even somewhat modest for U23 Vietnam against Laos; U23 Thailand had an impressive 4-0 victory over U23 Timor Leste..
U23 Vietnam easily defeated U23 Laos: Hiding cards or lacking enthusiasm?
U23 Vietnam completed the goal of getting 3 points against U23 Laos in the opening match of U23 Southeast Asia, but behind the victory there are still some worries and concerns...
U23 Vietnam had an easy start to the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 tournament when they won 3-0 against U23 Laos at Patriott Stadium (Indonesia).
Looking at the results, Coach Kim Sang Sik and his students have excellently completed the assigned tasks. A smooth start, without any unfortunate missteps.
However, if we analyze the 90 minutes on the field carefully, those who are picky have the right to be dissatisfied. The score of 3-0 is even somewhat modest and does not truly reflect the absolute dominance that U23 Vietnam has created.
Coach Kim Sang Sik's students controlled the ball well, continuously besieged the goal and forced U23 Laos into a difficult defense, but the number of opportunities and real shots created was quite small.
Maybe this is the first match and coach Kim Sang Sik wants to "hide his cards" and save the best tactical moves for more important matches later.
However, even accepting that hypothesis, it is still impossible to hide the shortcomings of U23 Vietnam in the opening match against U23 Laos.
MU fans are fed up with Hojlund
The striker born in 2003 had an unlucky moment that caused MU to be held to a 0-0 draw by Leeds in a friendly match on the night of July 19.
In the 90th minute, Patrick Dorgu rushed in to finish in a favorable position. It seemed like the opening goal would come to Manchester United, but no, Rasmus Hojlund blocked the ball for Leeds, causing the "Red Devils" to miss the best chance of the match. Hojlund's unlucky moment made many fans fed up.
Hojlund entered the field at the beginning of the second half but did not leave much of an impression, except for a header that allowed Kobbie Mainoo to hit the crossbar in the 88th minute. The Danish striker has gone 9 consecutive matches without scoring a goal, despite having to face many weak opponents such as the ASEAN All Stars team, Lithuania,...
According toSky Sports,MU is still looking for a striker to replace Hojlund. Ollie Watkins, Benjamin Sesko, Jamie Vardy, Calvert-Lewin are the names on the list of the Old Trafford team.
Newcastle lost miserably
Newcastle United had a terrible start to the new season when they lost 0-4 to Celtic in a friendly match on the evening of July 19.
This was a match in which coach Eddie Howe did not use two important pillars, Alexander Isak and Joelinton, causing the "Magpies"' attacking power to decrease significantly.
From the very first minutes, Celtic showed superiority in both speed and rhythm of play. The home team opened the scoring in the 28th minute after Arne Engels successfully converted a penalty - after Joe Willock committed a foul in the penalty area. Then, Johnny Kenny and Yang Hyun-Jun scored two more goals in the 45th and 52nd minutes respectively, pushing Newcastle into a state of disarray.
Coach Eddie Howe has been proactive in experimenting with the squad and giving opportunities to many young players. However, the weak and disjointed performances have made Newcastle fans worried.
Thailand won big, about to avoid U23 Vietnam
Thailand U23 had an impressive 4-0 victory over Timor Leste U23 in the opening match of Group C of the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 tournament.
This result helps coach Thawatchai Damrong-Ongtrakul's team temporarily lead the group and get closer to the semi-final ticket as group winners.
In theory, U23 Thailand will face U23 Vietnam if they finish the group stage as the second-best team, while coach Kim Sang Sik's team finishes first in Group B. This is a completely possible scenario if Thailand loses the top spot.