With just a draw to qualify for the semi-finals of the 33rd SEA Games men's football, U22 Vietnam entered the match against U22 Malaysia at 4:00 p.m. on December 11 with the clear goal of winning the victory to decide the position and create psychological momentum for the journey ahead.
In Group B, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team have a big advantage when they only need 1 point to ensure their place in the group as the second team with the best results. However, the Korean coach affirmed that the team did not choose a safe option. The spirit of U22 Vietnam is to proactively play offensively, aiming for 3 points instead of calculating a draw to enter the semi-finals with Malaysia.
Although U22 Malaysia won U22 Laos 4-1, and U22 Vietnam only beat their opponents 2-1, this result did not fully reflect the strength correlation. U22 Laos had many personnel problems after the opening match, making the comparison boring.
In the final match, U22 Malaysia needs at least a draw to maintain the top spot in the group. Therefore, it is likely that coach Nafuzi Zain's team will choose a defensive counter-attacking style of play, keeping their squad low, especially when they are still lacking in strength. Haqimi Azim Rosli is almost unable to play, while the newly added centre-back Ubaid Salah only helps them patch up their defense somewhat.
Coach Kim Sang-sik has prepared many approaches for U22 Vietnam, including the aerial option - which is not the forte of Vietnamese players. What he wants from his students is to be proactive, control the ball better, accelerate at the right time and make the most of the opportunities created.
This match is completely different from the confrontation with U22 Laos, and if not competing at the highest level of concentration, U22 Vietnam will face many difficulties. However, the psychological advantage and the break time limit of up to 8 days, 3 days more than Malaysia, helped Dinh Bac and his teammates confidently aim for victory.
Score prediction: U22 Vietnam 2-1 U22 Malaysia
