Hanoi (VNS/VNA) - Vietnam's defenders are well-prepared for the ASEAN Cup 2024, with the team featuring a squad where most players are 27 years old or older.

According to statistics from the tournament organising committee, Vietnam have the third highest average age in the competition at 26.4 years.

This statistic reflects the experience within the team, particularly among the goalkeepers and defenders. Except for Tran Trung Kien, who has been called up for training, the goalkeepers – Nguyen Dinh Trieu, Nguyen Filip, and Dang Van Lam – are all over 30 years old.

Coach Kim Sang-sik prioritises selecting players with extensive experience in the V.League 1 or the national team, including Do Duy Manh (28), Bui Tien Dung (29), Vu Văn Thanh (28) and Pham Xuan Manh (28). These players have each participated in 40-50 matches for the national team.

Younger players like Ho Tan Tai, Nguyen Thanh Binh, Nguyen Thanh Chung and Bui Hoang Viet Anh have less experience than their senior counterparts but have all surpassed the U23 threshold. Notably, Thanh Chung and Tan Tai (27) are approaching their career peaks.

Another testament to the maturity in the squad is Nguyen Van Vi, a 26-year-old left-back who has played 80 matches in V.League 1 over six seasons at Hong Linh Ha Tinh, Hanoi, and Nam Dinh.

Unlike coach Philippe Troussier, coach Kim places less emphasis on younger players. With a perfectionist approach, he aims to create a 'combat-ready' national team, particularly in defence.

Need for certainty

In recent training matches in the Republic of Korea, coach Kim built a defensive lineup centered around these experienced players and Van Khang, a 21-year-old left midfielder, was tested in a defensive role during one match.

Goalkeeping duties were shared among Van Lam, Dinh Trieu, and Filip Nguyen. Central defenders Viet Anh, Duy Manh and Thanh Chung were prioritised in the main squad, supported by veterans Bui Tien Dung, Ho Tan Tai, and Nguyen Thanh Binh.

On the wings, Van Thanh started on the right, with Xuan Manh and Tien Anh tested on the opposite side. The effectiveness of this experienced line up was evident in their performance.

In three training matches, Vietnam conceded only one goal, significantly lower than the 11 goals conceded in their previous five official matches against teams like the Philippines, Russia, India, Thailand and Iraq.

While the opposition, including Daegu FC, Ulsan Citizen, and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors, may not be as strong as those earlier teams, the effectiveness and effort from coach Kim's chosen defensive choices is commendable.

ꦉ Reflecting on the past, the success of the Vietnamese team under coach Park Hang-seo was built on a solid defence. In the group stage of the ASEAN Cup 2018, the 'Golden Star Warriors' showcased an impenetrable 'wall', making it difficult for opponents like Malaysia to find an equaliser in the finals./.