Coach Park: Vietnam team is the weakest in the group, but let's wait and see; Ronaldo scored twice, creating a world record

Ronaldo scored twice, creating a world football record

Ronaldo scored a double in the final minutes, bringing Portugal a hard-fought 2-1 victory over the Republic of Ireland. With 2 goals in this match, CR7 created a world football record as the player with the most goals in history at the national team level.

Face the Republic of Ireland in the 4th match2022 World Cup Qualifiers, Portugal national team aims to get 3 points to break away on the rankings. The players in the Seleccao squad also have the ambition to help Ronaldo score to create a world football record.

Therefore, the Portuguese players quickly dominated from the first minutes. In the 10th minute, Portugal had a chance to open the score from the 11m mark when Bruno Fernandes was fouled in the penalty area. However, Ronaldo could not beat goalkeeper Bazunu when taking the penalty kick.

Ronaldo celebrates after setting a world football record. Photo: Reuters.

In the 28th minute, Jota had a great chance to head the ball in the penalty area, but the Liverpool striker's close-range shot hit the post.

Despite many attacks but no goals, Portugal had to pay the price in the 45th minute. Egan headed in from a corner kick, opening the score for the Republic of Ireland.

As the match was coming to an end, fans were expecting Portugal to lose, but Ronaldo proved his class as a top superstar. In the 89th minute, CR7 jumped high and headed the ball accurately, equalizing 1-1 for Portugal from a cross from his teammate on the right wing.

Excited after the equalizer, Portugal launched a full-scale attack in the extra time and they succeeded in the last seconds. A similar scenario was repeated when Ronaldo once again headed the ball into the Republic of Ireland's net, sealing a 2-1 victory.

This victory helped Portugal have 10 points after 4 matches, temporarily creating a 3-point gap compared to the second-placed team Serbia. As for Ronaldo, he has a total of 111 goals, creating a world football record as the player with the most goals in history at the national team level.

Saudi Arabia coach: "Vietnam team is good at defense"

Mr. Herve Renard respects the Vietnamese team and highly appreciates the defense built by coach Park Hang-seo.

"We respect all opponents in this group. Vietnam is a good defensive team and plays with discipline. But for now, the Saudi Arabia team must focus on themselves," coach Renard said at a press conference.

The French coach affirmed: "Saudi Arabia players must be vigilant and always on alert. It will be a difficult match but Saudi Arabia is ready to enter the match."

Saudi Arabia players are fully prepared and ready for the match against Vietnam. Photo: SAFF.

The host country's press highly appreciated the attack of the former coach of Nam Dinh Club. They scored 22 goals in the second qualifying round with 6 wins and 2 draws, remaining unbeaten before entering the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup.

However, Mr. Renard confidently said that Saudi Arabia is also strong in defense, not just attack. He has helped this team improve, progress and become stronger than before.

"I have selected the starting lineup. I believe in the strength of this lineup and their fighting spirit. In the last match against Singapore, I changed five players in the lineup. This time, some are back, some are absent."

He said: "The message I want to send to the fans is that the players are very determined, focused, and want to contribute their best in the past two years. We understand clearly what you expect from the team."

The match between Saudi Arabia and Vietnam will take place at 1:00 a.m. (Vietnam time) on September 3 at Mrsool Park Stadium (Riyadh).

Coach Park Hang-seo: Vietnam is the weakest team in the group, but let's wait and see!

Admitting that Vietnam is the weakest team in Group B, coach Park Hang-seo believes the Golden Star Warriors will have a good result in the opening match against Saudi Arabia.

"This is the first time the Vietnamese team has entered the final qualifying round of the World Cup. In the opening match, we faced a very strong opponent, Saudi Arabia, on away ground. Because we played away from home, the Vietnamese team faced a bit of difficulty and pressure.

Vietnam is the weakest team in Group B. I think Saudi Arabia really wants to get 3 points and will put pressure from the start. We have to escape the opponent's pressing style to get a good result,"Coach Park Hang-seospeaking at the press conference before the match.

"I believe that the players will overcome well, promote their cleverness and intelligence to overcome the difficulties when playing at Saudi Arabia's home ground. This is the first time my students have reached the final qualifying round, but they have participated in the Asiad and Asian Cup, so they have experience facing teams from the West Asian region. I hope the players will play well," coach Park Hang-seo encouraged his students.

Coach Park Hang-seo believes the Vietnamese team will have good results in the opening match.

The Korean strategist affirmed that the Vietnamese team entered the match against Saudi Arabia with the highest determination to achieve the best result to bring joy to fans on National Day.

"On National Day, I hope the Vietnamese team will play their best and bring joy to the Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese people's love for football is huge. They are really waiting for us to have good results. Saudi Arabia is the top team in Asia so it will be difficult for us. But the players will promote the Vietnamese spirit and play their best. The result is not yet known, but I believe thatVietnam team"We will not disappoint the fans," Coach Park Hang-seo concluded.

Meanwhile, Captain Que Ngoc Hai also expressed his determination: "The players and I are extremely excited because this is the first time we have entered this round. The opponent is very strong, the top team in Asia, so we will definitely face many difficulties.

We are well prepared and ready for the match. The whole team fought with the Vietnamese spirit, fought with all our might to bring joy to Vietnamese fans."

Vietnam team has the best preparation for the tournament.

"At this round, all the matches are very difficult. The opponents know us very well. But the Vietnamese team has prepared well and is ready to compete. The result of this match may not be as expected, but the whole team will definitely fight with the highest spirit to not let everyone down," Que Ngoc Hai affirmed.

Vietnamese fans in Saudi Arabia "fuel" the team

At 9:00 p.m. (local time), or 1:00 a.m. on September 3 (Vietnam time), the first match of the Vietnamese team in the final qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup in Asia will take place. The team's fans in Saudi Arabia are ready to motivate Coach Park Hang-seo and his team on the away field.

The fans are always a great spiritual support for the "Golden Star Warriors". Every time they compete abroad, no matter where, the Vietnamese team always receives warm affection from the compatriots and overseas Vietnamese living, working and studying in foreign lands.

Recently, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation gave the Vietnamese Embassy in Saudi Arabia 720 tickets to cheer on the Vietnamese team.

The Vietnamese flag was raised high in front of the gate of the Vietnamese Embassy in Saudi Arabia.

Mr. Vu Viet Dung - Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Saudi Arabia said: "The embassy staff are eager to go to the stadium to cheer for the Vietnamese team. In the past few days, the embassy staff and their families have been actively preparing all the "logistical" work, looking forward to the competition day."

"We have prepared the song "Like having Uncle Ho on the great victory day", the slogans "Vietnam, keep going" and will cheer for coach Park Hang-seo and his team with all our Vietnamese hearts and souls", Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam to Saudi Arabia Vu Viet Dung shared.

Because Saudi Arabia did not have red shirts with yellow stars, the ambassador's staff and family bought red shirts and yellow decals, cut them into the shape of a five-pointed yellow star, and pasted them onto the shirts as uniforms to help "fuel" the Vietnamese team.

In addition, according to the regulations of the host country's Organizing Committee, fans wishing to enter the stadium must ensure they have received two doses of Covid-19 vaccine or have a negative Covid-19 test result within 72 hours.