Old defense...
According to statistics from the organizing committee of the AFF Cup (new name ASEAN Cup) 2024, the Vietnamese team is the team with the third highest average age in the tournament (26.4 years old). This number is not surprising when looking at the defense line that gathers many experienced goalkeepers and defenders.
In the goalkeeper position alone, except for Tran Trung Kien who was called up for training, Nguyen Dinh Trieu, Nguyen Filip and Dang Van Lam are all over 30 years old.
In the defense, coach Kim Sang-sik also prioritized gathering players with many years of experience playing in the V.League or the national team such as Do Duy Manh (28 years old), Bui Tien Dung (29 years old), Vu Van Thanh (28 years old) or Pham Xuan Manh (28 years old). Remember, these are all pillars who have played 40-50 matches for the Vietnam team.
Tan Tai, Thanh Binh, Thanh Chung, Viet Anh and Tien Anh, although younger and less experienced in playing for the Vietnam national team than their seniors, have also passed the U23 threshold. Even Thanh Chung and Tan Tai (27 years old) are approaching the peak of their careers.
Another example proving the maturity of the Vietnamese national team's defense is the newly added case of Nguyen Van Vi - 26 years old. In V.League, the left-back born in 1998 has played 80 matches after 6 seasons at 3 clubs: Hong Linh Ha Tinh, Hanoi and Nam Dinh.
Unlike coach Philippe Troussier, Mr. Kim Sang-sik does not put too much faith in young players. With a perfectionist personality, the Korean coach aims for a "combat-ready" Vietnamese team, including a defense that is in its "thirties".
Need certainty
In the last 3 matches of the Vietnamese team in Korea, coach Kim Sang-sik built a defensive force around the above players. Perhaps, Van Khang - 21-year-old left midfielder was tested by the Korean coach in 1 match as a defender.
Van Lam, Dinh Trieu, Filip Nguyen respectively guard the home team's goal. In the central defender position, Viet Anh, Duy Manh, Thanh Chung are given priority in the main squad. In parallel, the supporting force also has "veterans" Bui Tien Dung, Ho Tan Tai and Nguyen Thanh Binh - players who have passed the U23 threshold.
On the flank, Van Thanh was arranged to start on the right wing. On the opposite side, Xuan Manh and Tien Anh were also tested. The value of the experienced defense is shown through specific data.
In all 3 matches, the Vietnamese team only conceded 1 goal. This number is 11 times lower than when the Vietnamese team played 5 previous official matches against the Philippines, Russia, India, Thailand and Iraq.
Of course, the "blue team" of the Vietnamese team, Daegu FC, Ulsan Citizen or Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, cannot possess a strong squad like most of the above teams, but it is undeniable that the effectiveness and effort from the defense that Mr. Kim chose.
Turning back the clock to 6 years ago, the success of the Vietnamese team under coach Park Hang-seo came from a solid foundation.
Throughout the journey in the group stage of the AFF Cup 2018, the “Golden Star Warriors” possessed an impenetrable defense. In the first and second leg of the final, the opponent Malaysia had a very difficult task in finding the equalizer. That was the reason why Vietnam convincingly won the championship for the second time.
Mr. Kim Sang-sik saw the defensive value from his predecessor Park Hang-seo. And that is also the reason why this coach focuses a lot on the defense of the Vietnamese national team at the present time.
