Vietnam U19 vs Japan U19: Difficult but still a chance.

(Baonghean.vn) - Tonight (October 27th), Coach Hoang Anh Tuan's team will face Japan U19 in the semi-finals. Up until now, at all levels of national teams, Vietnamese football has never been considered on par with Japanese football. Therefore, creating an upset against Japan U19 would truly be a miracle for Vietnam U19.

Objectively speaking, Vietnamese youth teams have historically played fairly against teams from the Middle East, West Asia, and Central Asia. However, when facing teams like Japan or South Korea, they almost have no chance.

At this year's Asian Championship, despite successively causing surprises against North Korea, drawing with UAE and Iraq, and defeating Bahrain U19, the Vietnam U19 team, despite being in a relaxed state of mind after successfully qualifying for the 2017 U20 World Cup and determined to build on their success, is still not enough. Why can we say that?

Firstly, there's a significant difference in skill level between the two football cultures. The Japanese play football with both technical skill and high efficiency; they always know how to change the tempo and tactical formations to break down the opponent's defensive walls. From club level to national team level, from U11 to U23, the players consistently maintain a playing style that has been established since they started playing football.

Japan U19

Meanwhile, the Vietnam U19 team is the product of a highly collective playing style, with scientific defense and waiting for opportunities to attack. In terms of technique, tactics, footballing intelligence, and the ability to create breakthroughs—or, in other words, the Vietnam U19 team cannot surpass the Japan U19 team in both defense and counter-attack. Overall, in terms of strength and stamina, the Japanese and Korean players are also on a different "level" compared to the Vietnamese players.

Secondly, both the coaching staffs of the Vietnam U19 and Japan U19 teams have thoroughly studied each other's playing styles. However, no matter how well they study their opponent's tactics, the Vietnam U19 team will still be much more passive. Certainly, the Japan U19 team will be the attacking side, while Coach Hoang Anh Tuan's team will focus on defense.

The Vietnam U19 team was very successful in their victory against Bahrain, but applying the same tactics against their opponent in the semi-finals might just be as effective. Compared to Bahrain, Japan's playing style is much more difficult to counter. One of the Japanese team's most potent weapons is their ability to penetrate the defense, acting like attacking spearheads. Their opponents also have a variety of tactics, including intricate short passes, long passes, and long-range shots when needed.

Thirdly, with such a tactical setup, the Vietnam U19 team certainly cannot commit all their resources to attacking or launching an all-out assault on their opponents. They are forced to concede control of the midfield to their rivals. The absence of a key player like striker Ha Duc Chinh in the attack will inevitably reduce the counter-attacking power of the Vietnam U19 team. Furthermore, reaching the quarterfinals and securing a ticket to the 2017 U20 World Cup is truly a historic achievement. Therefore, Coach Hoang Anh Tuan has another task: to motivate his players and prevent complacency.

The Vietnam U19 team is in high spirits after achieving the remarkable feat of qualifying for the World Cup.

Meeting in the semi-finals, both teams have more or less proven their strength, especially the Vietnam U19 team. The Vietnam U19 team does have a chance if luck is on their side.

However, before facing the Japanese U19 team, fans and coach Hoang Anh Tuan and his players need to set a clear mindset to avoid disappointment in case of defeat.

Hoai Hoan