Still have the right to decide
The final round of Group B of the 2024 ASEAN Cup has two matches left, the match between Vietnam and Myanmar at Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho) and the match between Indonesia and the Philippines at Manahan Stadium (Surakarta, Indonesia). Both matches will take place at 8:00 p.m. on December 21.
Although temporarily leading the group, the Vietnamese team is not safe. After 4 matches, Duy Manh and his teammates have earned 7 points after 3 matches played. The next positions belong to Indonesia (4 points), Myanmar (4 points), Philippines (3 points) and the bottom of the table is Laos (2 points) but has completed all 4 matches. Except for Laos, which has stopped playing, all 4 remaining teams have a chance to continue and are at risk of being eliminated.
However, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team only need a draw to advance to the semi-finals. At the same time, the "Golden Star Warriors" still have the right to decide and aim for a victory to firmly hold the top spot in the group.
For the home team, after a hard-fought draw against the Philippines, many people were not satisfied with the performance of the Vietnamese team. Therefore, when returning home to welcome Myanmar, the Korean coach needs to make changes in terms of personnel to aim for 3 full points.
On the other side, Myanmar's situation is much more disadvantageous than Vietnam's. After 3 matches, this team only has 4 points and is ranked 3rd in Group B. Therefore, they need to beat Vietnam to have any hope of getting a ticket to the semi-finals.
The last 3 matches witnessed a Myanmar team with a clear tendency to attack when they launched a total of 40 shots on the opponent's goal. However, their defense made elementary mistakes, especially the goalkeeper. This could be a weakness for the Vietnam team to exploit in the upcoming match.
Waiting for Nguyen Xuan Son's debut
Against an opponent who tends to play defensively, the Vietnamese team needs a striker who can sweep, press and finish effectively. In the upcoming match, Nguyen Xuan Son will be a new choice for coach Kim Sang-sik. He is eligible to play for the Vietnamese team and most likely, the match against Myanmar will be the first official match of this naturalized striker.
With Xuan Son, at the training sessions and press conferences before the match, the striker from Nam Dinh clearly showed his excitement for his debut match with the national team. Xuan Son's confidence is understandable because compared to the average level of Southeast Asian players, he is superior in terms of physique, fitness, technique, and goal-scoring ability.
Before joining the Vietnam national team, the Brazilian player had scored 14 goals in all competitions this season.
Mr. Kim Sang-sik also admitted that: "The Vietnamese team is very lucky to have Xuan Son in the squad". After the first match, the Vietnamese team scored 4 goals but in the following 2 matches, the "Golden Star Warriors" could only score 2 goals in 2 matches and the midfielders were the ones who scored.
Obviously, the effectiveness of the striker position is having problems. Therefore, Xuan Son is the missing piece for coach Kim Sang-sik.
The remaining problem for Xuan Son is overcoming the pressure from the high expectations of the coaching staff, teammates and fans. However, with his current form, the Nam Dinh striker can be completely confident in his ability to create highlights in the Vietnamese team's lineup, contributing to helping the home team get 3 points against Myanmar.
The match between Vietnam and Myanmar will take place at 8:00 p.m. on December 21 at Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho).
Expected lineup
Vietnam team: Nguyen Filip, Do Duy Manh, Thanh Chung, Tien Dung, Van Thanh, Van Vi, Ngoc Tan, Hoang Duc, Quang Hai, Tuan Hai, Xuan Son.
Myanmar team: Zin Nyi Aung, Hen Phyo Win, Kyaw Soe Moe, Thiha Htet Aung, Thet Hein Soe, Zaw Thiha, Lwin Moe Aung, Zaw Win Thein, Kyaw Nanda, Win Naing Tun, Oakkar Naing.
