How surprising is the Cambodian team?
After the 3-0 win over Laos on December 15, Cambodia coach Ryu Hirose said: "I am very happy with the victory and this is another match that shows that we can control the ball. The Cambodian team also scored a number of goals and kept a clean sheet. We want to continue to connect ball control with scoring, pushing high to put pressure and no matter who the opponent is, we will continue to do this in the final match against the Vietnam team".
Cambodia will meet Vietnam in the final match of the group stage of the two teams on the evening of December 19. Vietnam is ranked 99th in the world, rated much higher than Cambodia (ranked 170th). Two years ago, on the journey to win the AFF Cup 2018, Mr. Park Hang-seo's team won the " Angkor Warriors" 3-0. However, in the upcoming rematch, the Cambodian team promises to surprise Quang Hai and his teammates.
After 3 matches, the Cambodian team has shown a well-organized, cohesive playing style, no longer "spontaneous" as before. They proactively controlled the ball, raised their formation to put pressure even in the opponent's half, looking for scoring opportunities. Statistics from the 2020 AFF Cup organizing committee show that Ryu Hirose's team cannot be underestimated.
After 3 matches, the Cambodian team controlled the ball an average of 58.8% of the time. They had a total of 45 shots, including 20 on target and scored 6 goals. In addition to the Laos team being underrated, Chan Vathanaka and his teammates surprised everyone when they overcame both Malaysia and Indonesia. The effectiveness the team has brought in these 2 matches is not as expected, however, the Cambodian players have made remarkable progress.
Previously, the Cambodian team depended heavily on individuals such as Keo Sokpheng or Chan Vathanaka. That has not happened at this year's AFF Cup. Keo Sokpheng has yet to score, veteran Prak Mony Udom is often on the bench. Mr. Hirose and the General Director of the team Keisuke Honda have absolute confidence in young players such as Tes Sambath (21 years old) or Sieng Chanthea (19 years old)...
Towards the 32nd SEA Games
20/30 Cambodian players participating in the AFF Cup 2020 are aged 23 and under. Of these, 15 players were born between 2000 and later. In particular, Mr. Keisuke Honda brought 2 new 17-year-old players to the No. 1 tournament in the region. This is the core player that Cambodian football has built to aim for the 32nd SEA Games at home in 2023.
This is a big event, where the Football Federation of Cambodia sets a goal for the home team to win medals, even aiming for a gold medal. To realize that, the Cambodian team boldly rejuvenated, built a consistent playing style, and played with confidence as a "big guy" instead of being passive and enduring the match like before.
Mr. Hirose has repeatedly emphasized that, even in the match against Brazil, the playing style of the Cambodian team has not changed. Although the result has not helped the Cambodian team compete for a ticket to the semi-finals of the AFF Cup, General Director Keisuke Honda is very proud of the players. He emphasized that they have matured and become true experts. If they develop according to the roadmap, the players keep their feet on the ground, the Cambodian team will have a promising future.
Playing against Vietnam - the team considered the strongest in the AFF Cup, the Cambodian team does not value the results but focuses on the playing style and performance of the players. With what they have shown, it is clear that Mr. Park Hang-seo and his team cannot be subjective against this opponent.
