The Vietnamese team is in Korea to train for the AFF Cup 2024. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will have 3 friendly matches with 3 teams in the land of kimchi.
In the first match, Hoang Duc and his teammates will compete with Ulsan Citizen, who are currently playing in the Korean third division (K.League 3). Meanwhile, the Vietnamese team will face Deagu FC and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC in the remaining two matches. These are two teams that have just played in the Korean national championship (K.League 1).
According to the assessment of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) and coach Kim Sang-sik, the above 3 teams all have good tactics, uniform and quality personnel, suitable to help the Vietnamese team complete preparations before the AFF Cup 2024.
If Ulsan Citizen is considered an equal opponent, the remaining two teams will likely cause coach Kim Sang-sik's players a lot of trouble.
It is worth mentioning that both Daegu FC and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC have just finished K.League 1 with poor results and had to play the relegation play-off. Because the relegation play-off schedule coincides with the friendly match schedule with the Vietnamese team, it is likely that Daegu FC and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC will only field their young squads in the match against the "Golden Star Warriors".
It can be seen that the "blue troops" of the Vietnamese team are ranked in order of increasing difficulty. In the recent period, the Vietnamese team has encountered a series of bad results, even after coach Kim Sang-sik took charge. The chaos in the defense, the lack of a unified style of play, the lack of stability and organization are very noticeable.
According to commentator Quang Tung, choosing to train and have 3 friendly matches is very suitable for coach Kim Sang-sik to have a thorough assessment of the strengths and weaknesses in terms of personnel as well as the playing style of the Vietnamese team.
"Currently, the schedules of V.League and the national team are more reasonable than before. We need opponents to play friendly matches, test the lineup and tactics. If during FIFA Days, V.League is off, but the Vietnamese team will have difficulty finding suitable opponents to play friendly matches.
The 10-day training period in Korea may not be too long, but it may be enough for Mr. Kim to build a team with the people he desires.
In my opinion, the three upcoming friendly matches with the Vietnamese team are suitable for the calculations set out by the coaching staff. This is the time for coach Kim Sang-sik to adjust the squad, impose his plans and intentions, and help the players execute those intentions more smoothly. The other three teams will be suitable targets to operate the current idea.
Besides, if we win against an equal opponent, the Vietnamese players will be excited before entering the big tournament," commentator Quang Tung affirmed.
Currently, the Vietnamese team is still focusing on training physical strength and tactical skills, especially speed changes in short and medium distances.
According to the schedule, coach Kim Sang-sik's team will play friendly matches with Ulsan Citizen (November 27), Daegu FC (November 28) and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors FC (December 1).
