Vietnam U22 vs Thailand U22: 'Setting a trap' to catch the 'elephant'
(Baonghean.vn) - Facing U22 Thailand at this time is a great opportunity for Coach Park Hang-seo's team to achieve their 5th consecutive victory in the group stage of the SEA Games 30. The match between U22 Vietnam and U22 Thailand will take place at 3 PM on December 5th.
Before the final matchday of Group B, Vietnam U22 was 3 points ahead of Thailand U22 with a better goal difference (+13 compared to +10). As long as Nguyen Quang Hai and his players didn't lose to the young team from the "Land of the Golden Pagoda" by more than one goal, they would secure a place in the semi-finals. In that case, Coach Nishino Akira's team would have to go home early. Of course, this is assuming Indonesia U22 beat Laos U22 in the match played at the same time.
Objectively speaking, this is a goal well within the reach of Coach Park Hang-seo and his team. Besides the advantage in points and goal difference, the "Golden Star Warriors" also possess an exceptionally strong squad and excellent form. Victories against U22 Brunei (6-0), U22 Laos (6-1), U22 Indonesia (2-1), and U22 Singapore (1-0) are prime examples. To date, no team at the SEA Games 30 has achieved such an impressive record as U22 Vietnam.
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| Coach Park Hang-seo will find a way to make the U22 Thailand team regret their decision. (Photo: Archival image) |
It's not surprising that the U22 Thailand team lost to U22 Indonesia (0-2) in their opening match, with a disjointed and ineffective style of play. Most recently, in their match against U22 Laos, the "War Elephants" only managed to break the deadlock in the 90th minute. The 2-0 victory against the second-weakest team in Group B – U22 Laos – has put Coach Nishino Akira's team at a disadvantage in the three-way battle with U22 Vietnam and U22 Indonesia for the two semi-final spots.
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| The U22 Thailand team will fall into the "trap" set by coach Park Hang-seo and his players. Photo: vietnamnet.vn |
Considering many factors, it's true that the Vietnam U22 team has more advantages than the Thailand U22 team. However, the crucial question is whether the "Golden Star Warriors" can successfully capitalize on these advantages. In football, nothing is certain, and statistics are only for reference. The possibility of a heavy defeat against Thailand U22 for Coach Park Hang-seo's team still exists, albeit very slim.
