After a brief rest at the hotel, U22 Vietnam held their first training session in Bangkok (Thailand) at 5 PM on December 1st, preparing for their opening match in Group B of the men’s football at the SEA Games.
Reportedly, the players’ spirits are high. Head Coach Kim Sang Sik demanded the entire team focus on each match, as any mistake could prove costly. According to the regulations, only the top team in the group will directly qualify for the semifinals of SEA Games 33.
Regarding U22 Vietnam’s preparation, Khuất Văn Khang stated: “We had a week of training in Vũng Tàu. Head Coach Kim Sang Sik primarily focused on tactical drills for the team. Before traveling to Thailand, the head coach cut 5 players to finalize the squad list.
I believe that everyone in the initial list of 28 players deserved to participate in the SEA Games, but according to tournament regulations, only 23 can be registered. Now that we are here, everyone must try harder to meet the expectations of both the coach and our home fans.”
According to Văn Khang, U22 Vietnam needs to improve their cohesion and finishing ability. These are areas that Head Coach Kim Sang Sik has focused on extensively with the players recently.
Personally, Văn Khang believes he will achieve better results than the previous SEA Games in Cambodia: “I participated in the previous SEA Games, but the outcome wasn’t as desired. For this SEA Games, we are determined to achieve the best possible results. I see this as pressure, but also as motivation for us teammates to encourage each other and strive for the best outcome.”
Regarding the match schedule, after the game against U22 Laos (December 3rd), U22 Vietnam will have 8 days of rest before facing U22 Malaysia (December 11th). Văn Khang noted that this schedule is similar to the V-League, allowing the entire team time to recover their strength.
Evaluating their opponent in the opening match, the U22 Vietnam captain emphasized: “U22 Laos plays very well and has many players who also play for the senior national team. In football, anything can happen, but U22 Vietnam will certainly do our best to win.”
