Vietnam U23 vs Myanmar U23: Confident of winning

(Baonghean.vn) - Having finished second in Group B, the Vietnam U23 team will have to face the top team in Group A, Myanmar, after the latter drew with Cambodia U23 to secure first place in the group.

The U23 Vietnamese players will shine against their Myanmar opponents in this semi-final match.

In Group A of the men's football tournament at the 28th SEA Games, the Myanmar team demonstrated their strength with three consecutive wins and one point in their final match, securing first place in the group. Notably, Coach Kyi Lwin's team achieved convincing victories against two strong teams, host nation Singapore and Indonesia. In their recent matches, Myanmar displayed a modern style of play. Their players possess fairly consistent technical skills, excellent physical fitness, and good physique. Furthermore, the team displayed a highly disciplined approach, strictly adhering to Coach Kyi Lwin's tactics.

In their two matches against formidable opponents, hosts Singapore and Indonesia, the Myanmar players demonstrated their fighting spirit, confidently coordinating short passes that left their opponents' defenses quite disoriented. Coach Kyi Lwin has built a cohesive, fast-paced style of play for his team, rarely losing possession carelessly. That's not to say Myanmar is without weaknesses. Kyi Lwin's players often leave gaps on the flanks, where Lwin Kyaw and Aung Si Thu are positioned, and their central defenders lack adequate cover for their teammates. Evidence of this is their 3 goals conceded against the weaker Cambodian team.

Myanmar also left a strong impression in the group stage.

Meanwhile, in Group B, the Vietnam U23 team also displayed an effective style of play, winning their first four matches and only losing to their arch-rivals, Thailand U23, 1-3 after securing a place in the semi-finals. This match was not particularly significant, so head coach Miura had already made calculations for the team's future moves. In this game, several key players were rested, and those who received yellow cards were also benched. New players making their debut lacked cohesion in their play. In the final group stage match, Coach Miura opted for a central attacking style, but his players lacked the necessary understanding, resulting in numerous misplaced passes that gave Thailand U23 opportunities to threaten the Vietnamese defense. After this loss, Coach Miura remained calm and optimistic about his team. He explained, "This match didn't mean much; it only allowed me to experiment with different lineups. I'm just a little disappointed that the players I tested in this match didn't perform very well."

Cong Phuong will be the catalyst for U23 Vietnam's attacking moves.

In the upcoming semi-final match, with the return of players like Cong Phuong, Huy Toan, Ngoc Thang, and Mac Hong Quan, the Vietnam U23 team will have many attacking options. The speed and technique of Cong Phuong, Huy Toan, and Ngoc Thang will be powerful weapons, helping Coach Miura's team easily exploit the opponent's flanks, which are considered a weakness of that team.

Returning to the information about the match against U23 Myanmar, our team is no stranger to the opponent. Before participating in the 28th SEA Games, U23 Vietnam had a friendly match with U23 Myanmar in Quang Ninh, the two teams drew 2-2. Through this match, the Japanese coach was able to study Myanmar's playing style quite thoroughly. Coach Miura confidently shared, "We have prepared well for this match. The U23 Vietnam players will go onto the field with the highest spirit and confidence. U23 Myanmar scored many goals in the group stage, but they won't find it easy to score against us."

In the past, since 1991, the Vietnamese and Myanmar teams have met a total of 12 times in all tournaments. Vietnam has won 7 times while Myanmar has only won 4 times. The most memorable match was Vietnam's victory over Myanmar in the semi-finals of the 18th SEA Games in Thailand, which helped our team win the silver medal in men's football at the SEA Games for the first time.

Tran Minh Chien scored the winning goal in the match against Myanmar at the 18th Sea Games, helping Vietnam win its first-ever silver medal at the Sea Games.

In this afternoon's match against U23 Myanmar, our team has a full squad and is in excellent physical condition, with many players rested in the previous match and coach Miura having conducted thorough research on the opponent in the semi-final. U23 Vietnam is fully confident to defeat their opponent and aim for the final of the men's football tournament at the 28th SEA Games.

Duc Anh