Before the confrontation with the Vietnamese team in the last match of Group A of the ASEAN Cup 2026, coach Koji Gyotoku said that Cambodia will focus on defensive play and take advantage of counter-attack situations to look for opportunities.
At the pre-match press conference held at noon on August 6, when asked if Cambodia is aiming for a historic draw against the defending champion, the Japanese strategist shared: "The first thing we do is focus on defense both individually and collectively. If possible, we want to deploy counter-attacking defense to create opportunities.
Previously, Cambodia had allowed some players to return to the club, but Mr. Gyotoku affirmed that this did not significantly affect the team's preparation process.
Some players have returned to the club, but in fact the team played well in the match against Timor-Leste. Currently, the atmosphere in the team is very good and we are well prepared for tomorrow's match.
In this tournament, of course, the Cambodian team wants to win, but some players we have not yet been able to call up. Anyway, we will participate in the FIFA ASEAN Cup next month. We will have more preparations for the next tournament," he said.
The Cambodian coach also admitted that the team no longer has a chance to win a ticket to the semi-finals, but appreciated the professional value of the confrontation with the Vietnamese team.
He expressed: "It's a pity that the Cambodian team no longer has a chance to enter the semi-finals. However, we have the opportunity to play against a good opponent like the Vietnamese team. Hopefully we will gain more experience from this match.
Meanwhile, midfielder Ouk Sovann expressed excitement about the confrontation with the team that is holding the regional championship.
This player shared: "I am very excited to play with the Vietnamese team. They are a strong opponent and the defending champion. Of course, I want to score in tomorrow's match".
The match between Vietnam and Cambodia takes place at My Dinh Stadium in the last round of Group A of the ASEAN Cup 2026. After the victory over Indonesia, coach Kim Sang-sik's team is holding a great advantage in the race to win a ticket to the semi-finals. As long as they do not lose to Cambodia, the Vietnamese team will officially advance, while a victory will help the team preserve the top spot in the group.
