Expert Đoàn Minh Xương: 'U22 Vietnam has matured, overcoming psychological pressure'
U22 Thailand has done everything to win but in the end, they had to watch U22 Vietnam wear the SEA Games 33 gold medal on the "fiery" Rajamangala stadium.
Expert Đoàn Minh Xương believes that determination, tactical adjustments in the second half, and historical advantage decided the winner in the classic match between U22 Vietnam and U22 Thailand: "Clearly, in the first half, U22 Vietnam did not play well; in other words, we quickly lost our planned strategy. Perhaps Coach Kim Sang Sik wanted to impose an attacking style from the start with specific plans regarding player usage and the opening phase.
However, U22 Vietnam being drawn into U22 Thailand’s style caused things not to go as expected. U22 Thailand, with home advantage, deployed an energetic attacking style, actively controlling the match and applying continuous pressure.
U22 Thailand aimed to attack early to score first and they achieved that. After scoring, they prevented U22 Vietnam from playing their usual defensive counterattack, forcing them to push forward.
In the first half, U22 Thailand also blocked attacks from the two wings, which are strong points and key outlets in U22 Vietnam’s play. Furthermore, Đình Bắc closely marked opponents, making it hard to create the desired breakthroughs.
Realizing things were not going according to plan, Coach Kim Sang Sik made personnel changes. Thái Sơn entered to help U22 Vietnam control the midfield. Our players stopped being drawn into U22 Thailand’s style and actively adjusted the tempo from the start of the second half.
The joy of Thanh Nhàn after scoring the decisive goal for U22 Vietnam. Photo: Tuấn Phạm
If the first half for U22 Vietnam ended with frustration and some overwhelm, the start of the second half brought surprising enthusiasm and strength.
Under Coach Kim Sang Sik, U22 Vietnam emphasized defensive stability, maintained proper team spacing, and was ready to punish opponents with fast counterattacks. In a tightly contested match, composure, tempo control, and minimizing individual mistakes were key factors deciding success. U22 Vietnam executed all these excellently in the rest of the match to secure the final win."
Expert Đoàn Minh Xương commented: "U22 Vietnam showed growth and the ability to overcome psychological pressure to win. With persistence, toughness, and calmness, the hat-trick victory in the final closed a wonderful year for Vietnamese football.
Beating Thailand was already great. Beating Thailand to win the gold medal on Thai soil was even more amazing. The victory brought overwhelming joy to fans and boosted confidence for Vietnamese football on its journey to conquer important future competitions.
Once again, Vietnamese football has shown its 'affinity' with Korean coaches, as Kim Sang Sik was chosen to lead Vietnamese football into a new development phase. Arriving in Vietnam during a difficult time, the Korean strategist knows how to turn challenges into motivation for victory.
Many difficulties and challenges remain ahead, but the future of Vietnamese football looks brighter as Kim Sang Sik has inspired the players' fighting spirit. Moreover, he has had enough time to understand Vietnamese football and the players he selected. Coach Kim Sang Sik is improving and arranging players according to their abilities to build a Vietnamese team layered with both old and new talents.
Closing the achievement at year-end, Vietnamese football will continue its new cycle with new goals mixed with opportunities and challenges. Everyone must keep working hard and striving continuously toward future targets."
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