U23 Vietnam got off to a dream start in the 2024 U23 Asian Finals when they defeated U23 Kuwait 3-1, but this victory also left many worries for coach Hoang Anh Tuan and his fans.
Destroyed successfully
U23 Vietnam is one of the familiar names and has many achievements in the U23 Asian Finals – with the peak being the runner-up position in 2018. However, U23 Vietnam has never won in the opening match in 4 U23 Asian Finals. attended before. In the tournament launched in 2016, U23 Vietnam lost to U23 Jordan 1-3 and lost all 2 matches after that, being eliminated right from the group stage.
By 2018, U23 Vietnam led by coach Park Hang-seo continued to lose 1-2 to U23 Korea in the first match. However, Mr. Park’s team overcame difficulties to enter the final spectacularly. In 2020, U23 Vietnam, still led by coach Park Hang-seo, cut the losing streak in the opening match at the U23 Asian Finals by holding U23 UAE to a 0-0 draw in the opening match. However, U23 Vietnam was eliminated early after 3 matches. By 2022, U23 Vietnam will be ceded by coach Park Hang-seo to compatriot Gong Oh-kuyn. The red shirt team played impressively, drawing 2-2 with Thailand U23 in the first match and reaching the quarterfinals.
It was not until the 5th time participating that U23 Vietnam knew the smell of victory right in the opening match. Before U23 Kuwait, U23 Vietnam was rated higher and that was clearly shown on the field. U23 Kuwait entered the game cautiously, proactively played tight defense, and counterattacked quickly to counter the playing style of U23 Vietnam. However, Ebrahim Kameel’s ungainly red card in the 31st minute caused U23 Kuwait’s plans to fail.
Ebrahim Kameel was kicked out after stepping on Khuat Van Khang’s thigh. No one knows what the U23 Kuwait player is thinking, but it’s clear that the stress and inhibitions of having to endure pressure from opponents contribute to Kameel making mistakes. U23 Kuwait had a chance to turn the game around when Nguyen Ngoc Thang fouled the U23 Vietnam penalty area and was sent off. Not only did they equalize the score, U23 Kuwait also balanced the number of players on the field.
However, this is also the time when the difference between the two teams is shown. While coach Hoang Anh Tuan made extremely reasonable adjustments after the break, U23 Kuwait continued to pay the price for personal mistakes. This time, their captain – goalkeeper Abdulrahman Marzouq was the one who made the mistake. Winning 3-1, U23 Vietnam took the top spot in Group D, equal to U23 Uzbekistan but ranked higher thanks to scoring more goals.
This situation helps coach Hoang Anh Tuan and his team enter the quarterfinals. Just by winning 1 more point against U23 Malaysia, U23 Vietnam is considered to have won a ticket to continue. After 1 year of suffering defeat with coach Troussier, breaking the record at the U23 Asian Finals has great meaning for U23 Vietnam and its fans. The red shirt team has at least had a good new start and is worth waiting for and hoping for.
Happy, but still worried
Besides the full 3 points and the joy of victory, U23 Vietnam also received many positive signals after the victory over U23 Kuwait. First is coach Hoang Anh Tuan’s resourcefulness. U23 Vietnam came to Qatar without a pure left-back, but the Khanh Hoa strategist used Khuat Van Khang quite well as a replacement. It was Khuat Van Khang who caused Ebrahim Kameel to lose his temper and be sent off the field.
Coach Hoang Anh Tuan also made three landmark changes at the beginning of the second half, when Bui Vi Hao, Nguyen Manh Hung and Nguyen Minh Quang all played well when on the field. Bui Vi Hao even scored twice to help U23 Vietnam win. The brilliance of striker Binh Duong also partly helped U23 Vietnam forget the absence of Nguyen Dinh Bac, who had to leave the field in the 11th minute due to injury.
Above all, the midfield of U23 Vietnam presented an impressive new face with the versatility of Nguyen Thai Son and Vo Hoang Minh Khoa. Thai Son showed the value of experience with soft handling and high-quality cross-line passes. Meanwhile, Minh Khoa has a lot of fighting power, moves tirelessly and is ready to rise when given the opportunity.
Unfortunately, U23 Vietnam’s victory was not as perfect as the scoreboard. There are still many problems revealed in the first official match of U23 Vietnam with coach Hoang Anh Tuan. The most obvious thing is that the ability to communicate and connect between players is not high. During the match, Vietnamese fans shook their heads at least twice because of the lack of information between the players. At minute 14, Van Khang and Van Tung rushed into each other when they both wanted to shoot the ball in a clear scoring opportunity for U23 Vietnam. At the end of the match, it was Luong Duy Cuong and goalkeeper Quan Van Chuan’s turn to not understand the meaning, startling viewers.
In addition, many handling phases show signs of psychological unpreparedness of the players. A typical example is Nguyen Ngoc Thang’s crude pulling phase at minute 45+1′. The slow-motion situation showed that Ngoc Thang did not need to commit a foul in such a dangerous area, when Quan Van Chuan ran out to close the opponent’s shot angle. Ha Tinh’s defender was either too inexperienced, or made a reflexive foul without realizing the cost. This will be a big lesson not only for Ngoc Thang but for the whole team.
Similarly, Minh Quang shocked viewers when he missed an opportunity in the 54th minute. When facing an empty goal, the striker did not shoot immediately but took a few more steps, causing his shot to be blocked. again. This is an issue that Coach Hoang Anh Tuan must immediately correct for his students if they want to go further.