What 'skeleton' will U23 Vietnam have?

It is not difficult to recognize the lineup in the first half, different from the official match where they are usually considered the main players, these are the reserve factors in the calculation of the Korean coach. Actually, the people on the field in the second half are the factors worth paying attention to, because these are the people who have gained trust in the previous concentration and training process.

According to some information on the sidelines, the coaching staff has made a preliminary assessment of the match and the ability of each person. The groups are rated as good, average and weak and it is said that only 2 people are rated as good. At this time, it is not clear who is trustworthy, because there is still a return match ahead.

Coach Park requires U23 Vietnam's playing style to be stable. Photo courtesy of Hai Hoang

Since there are no more official matches for U23 before entering the SEA Games 31, those who will start in the second leg against U20 Korea will have a high chance of being named in the 20-man list. 3 players over 23 years old including Hung Dung, Hoang Duc and Tien Linh will also be playing alongside their juniors to test the cohesion and flexibility required according to the requirements.

It is not difficult to choose the number 1 goalkeeper position when Van Toan has no real opponent thanks to 2 consecutive appearances.SEA Gamesand have been playing in the V. League for a long time. Thanh Binh and Viet Anh from the Vietnam National Team have also secured their places in the central defender position. What we have to wait for is whether the left central defender position will belong to Manh Dung, Quang Vinh, or Van Toi? The attacking midfield pair is almost a default with Van Xuan and Van Do, and it is very difficult for anyone to compete at this time.

Captain Hung Dung of course plays in the central midfield position, but who are the other two teammates is still uncertain? Mr. Park Hang-seo recently expressed that if necessary, he will move Hoang Duc to play as a striker, next to Tien Linh, so it is not known whether this is a smokescreen or a serious intention? If so, a place for Hoang Anh in the midfield is quite clear, but the remaining players, Cong Den, Van Lam or Duc Viet, are still really unknown?

U23 Vietnam currently has 32 players for the SEA Games 31 campaign. Photo courtesy of Hai Hoang

Thus, we can initially imagine the U23 Vietnam team with the outstanding factors and many opportunities to be trusted as mentioned above. But when Mr. Park Hang-seo has not yet made the final assessment, when everything beyond all calculations can happen, everything cannot be truly concluded. Moreover, according to current information, if eliminated, these players will not... return to the club immediately but will continue to stay and practice, ready to join the U23 when called up. The lesson from the recent U23 Southeast Asia Championship 2022 requires teams to have a backup plan to avoid being disadvantaged in all situations.

A SEA Games gold medal but there will be 3-4 U23 teams competing, according to predictions: U23 Vietnam, U23 Thailand, U23 Indonesia and U23 Malaysia. The 4 teams mentioned above all have their own strengths, high determination, and good forces to go to the final match and win the throne. In particular, the "reigning" U23 Vietnam has home field advantage, has just played well at the U23 Southeast Asia Championship, and has been able to compete at the recent international friendly tournament in Dubai, so there is a lot of hope to maintain the achievements. However, the growth of U23 Indonesia cannot be underestimated and the fact that the 2 top candidates have to play the opening match is not necessarily an advantage for the home team? Meanwhile, the Thai people's concentration and high determination will be a big obstacle for any team.

To see that, hisPark Hang-seoIt is reasonable to experiment with many positions for players like Hoang Duc, Manh Dung or Quang Nho. The coach also let Hung Dung, Hoang Duc, Tien Linh or Thanh Binh, Viet Anh rest in the first leg, which is also a way to keep the information from the opponents through the media as secret as possible. And if Mr. Park Hang-seo continues to prove his experience and surprise as a "magician" in the technical area, the chance of winning against the opponents will become clearer and more convincing in the tough matches ahead.