Nam Định lost to Selangor 1-2: Coach Vũ Hồng Việt criticized the attacking line's wasteful finishing.
The narrow defeat in the first leg of the ASEAN Club Championship semi-final has put Nam Dinh in a difficult position, with coach Vu Hong Viet openly expressing disappointment about his players' lack of focus.
Nam Dinh is facing a major challenge after their 1-2 defeat against Selangor FC in the first leg of the ASEAN Club Championship semi-final at MBPJ Stadium. Despite controlling the game well, the Vietnamese team still suffered a defeat due to individual errors in defense and a lack of sharpness in attack.
Defensive errors and lack of concentration
Speaking after the match, coach Vu Hong Viet could not hide his disappointment with his players' attitude at crucial moments. He believed that Nam Dinh had made things difficult for themselves by lacking the necessary discipline in their defensive system, leading to the opponent thoroughly exploiting the gaps.
The strategist admitted: “Honestly, I’m quite disappointed that the players lost focus in some crucial situations and we were punished. Especially Selangor’s second goal, that was a moment when the team should have been more disciplined.” The laxness in defensive coverage completely disrupted the team’s tactical plan.
The finishing problem for the V-League representative.
The match saw a spectacular performance from Selangor's foreign player Chrigor Moraes, who scored a brace. For Nam Dinh, defender Nguyen Van Vi rekindled hope with a goal to reduce the deficit at the end of the first half. In the second half, despite creating relentless pressure and constantly bombarding the opponent's goal, the lack of finishing ability from their strikers prevented the Vietnamese team from finding an equalizer.
Coach Vu Hong Viet frankly criticized his players' goal-scoring performance: "We had many opportunities, but our finishing ability was truly disappointing. That's something the whole team needs to improve before the second leg." Statistics show that Nam Dinh dominated possession, but the final results were not commensurate.
Opportunity to turn the tables in the second leg.
A narrow defeat away from home means Nam Dinh must win the second leg if they want to reach the final. This is a challenging task, but entirely achievable if the team overcomes its psychological weaknesses and makes the most of its home advantage. Overall, based on their performance so far, the Vietnamese football representative still has a chance to advance if they improve their concentration and accuracy in final moments.