The strength of the Vietnamese team lies in the left wing?
According to the most common typical lineup, voted by international magazines after the AFF Cup 2018, there are 4 Vietnamese players in this lineup. In which, except for goalkeeper Dang Van Lam, the remaining 3 players tend to play on the left side.
Four Vietnamese players regularly named in the AFF Cup 2018's best squad, voted by international organizations and media, are goalkeeper Dang Van Lam, center-back Tran Dinh Trong, left-back Doan Van Hau and attacking midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai.
These are all very worthy names, showing that the international media is very knowledgeable about the quality of the players participating in the AFF Cup 2018 in general. And another easily noticeable thing in this squad, except for goalkeeper Dang Van Lam, 3/4 of the remaining players of the Vietnamese team tend to play on the left side.
Left-back Doan Van Hau probably doesn't need to be discussed, because simply this player plays on the left wing, covering the entire left flank of the Vietnam team.
 |
| The best lineup voted by international media for AFF Cup 2018: 3/4 Vietnamese players in this lineup tend to play on the left side |
Center-back Tran Dinh Trong plays well, but compared to his counterpart Do Duy Manh who often appears on the right side, Dinh Trong plays more on the left side, with many situations supporting the defense of the left wing of the team under coach Park Hang Seo.
Quang Hai is a left-footed player. The new Vietnamese Golden Ball 2018 of course covers the entire attack line of the Vietnamese team, moving up and down quite smoothly. However, when moving to the left, Quang Hai is much more dangerous than when he appears on the right.
The only goal of coach Park Hang Seo's team in the second leg of the 2018 AFF Cup final, before winning the Southeast Asian championship, came from the left wing.
That was the ball that Quang Hai broke the offside trap, passed from the left side of the 16m50 area into the middle for Anh Duc to volley into the Malaysian net.
 |
| The current number 1 star of Vietnamese football, Nguyen Quang Hai, is a left-footed player. Photo: Huyen Trang |
Previously, in the first leg of the final, also from an attack on the left side, Phan Van Duc rushed down to race, then passed the ball back to Huy Hung to cushion the ball from right at the edge of the opponent's penalty area, scoring the opening goal for the Vietnamese team.
Before that, in the first leg of the semi-final against the Philippines in Bacolod (Philippines), Doan Van Hau passed the ball long from the left wing, allowing Anh Duc to run and head the ball into the net of coach Sven Goran Eriksson's team, scoring a beautiful goal for the Vietnamese team.
Then the two goals scored by Quang Hai and Cong Phuong in the second leg of the semi-final at My Dinh Stadium against the Philippines, were also scored after set-ups from the left wing.
Meaning that most of the most important goals for the Vietnamese team recently have come from the left wing, and it feels like the left wing of coach Park Hang Seo's team is stronger than the right wing.
This can be explained by the fact that the team’s right wing currently lacks two of its best wingers, Vu Van Thanh and Pham Xuan Manh, due to injury. In addition, the players who are considered to be the best changemakers in Vietnamese football at the moment, such as Quang Hai and Doan Van Hau, are both left-footed.
Not only that, in the recent AFF Cup, Anh Duc, Duc Huy, Phan Van Duc can all handle the ball very well with their left foot, they have scored goals or made important assists with their left foot.
