Frame gradually forms
The 4-0 victory over Myanmar helps the Vietnamese national team have a favorable general rehearsal before the ASEAN Cup 2026, especially the way the squad operates. Coach Kim Sang-sik did not experiment too much but used almost the entire strongest force.
In attack, Xuan Son, Hoang Hen and Tai Loc all made their mark. However, these are just individual highlights more than the connection of a trio. The three players often operate in separate areas, prioritizing handling and finishing instead of short coordination with each other. Against Myanmar, that did not create many problems, but when entering ASEAN Cup 2026 and having to face better organized defenses, the ability to link the three spearheads will be a decisive factor in the effectiveness of the Vietnamese team's attack. If coach Kim Sang-sik can help this trio find common ground in the remaining days, the Vietnamese team will have a more diverse and unpredictable attack.
The midfield is still the mainstay in operating the Vietnamese team's playing style. Hoang Duc and Quang Hai control the tempo well, helping the team maintain superior ball possession time and continuously create passes that open up opportunities for the attacking line.
However, when both teams push high to support the attack, coach Kim Sang-sik will need to consider additional balance options in the transition phase. Against stronger opponents at ASEAN Cup 2026, arranging an additional player to support ball recovery or requiring forwards to actively press from afar will help Hoang Duc and Quang Hai maximize their creativity while still ensuring certainty for the system.
In the defense, the return of Doan Van Hau brings more attacking options on the left wing with quality crosses. However, Van Hau and Nhat Minh still do not have sync in covering situations. The gap between the full-back and center-back has been exploited by Myanmar many times. This will be the detail that Mr. Kim must handle before the opening day of the tournament.
Le Giang Patrik does not suffer much pressure but still shows value in the ability to read situations.
Few days left to complete
ASEAN Cup 2026 will kick off in just a few days. What coach Kim Sang-sik needs to do now is to complete the operation of the framework that has been shaped after the training camp and the friendly match with Myanmar.
The first problem lies in the balance between attack and defense. Against Myanmar, the Vietnamese team proactively pushed up the squad with three strikers often standing very high. Meanwhile, both Hoang Duc and Quang Hai tend to participate in organizing attacks more than supporting interception. When losing the ball, the gap in the midfield area is quite clear.
The defensive coordination between positions also needs to be improved. Van Hau has just returned after a long period of injury, while Nhat Minh is playing alongside him for the first time in the three-center-back system, so there are still many unsynchronized covers.
The positive point is that the Vietnamese team has had more attacking options than before thanks to the appearance of naturalized players. However, to compete for the ASEAN Cup championship, the team not only needs to score many goals but also must control the game well when facing equal opponents.
Improving pressing ability, narrowing the gap between the lines and increasing cohesion between the three strikers will be issues that coach Kim Sang-sik will pay attention to before entering the journey to defend the Southeast Asian crown.
