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Vietnamese players celebrate Pham Tuan Hai's goal. |
Although only one goal was scored, the performance of Philippe Troussier's players at the “fiery” Thien Truong Stadium in Nam Dinh Province showcased many impressive and positive aspects.
In comparison to the 1-0 victory over Hong Kong (China) five days ago, Coach Troussier made three adjustments to the starting lineup for the match against Syria. Among them, striker Nguyen Cong Phuong had his debut under the new coaching staff, while midfielder Nguyen Thai Son made his official national team debut. The remaining change was the presence of Phan Tuan Tai in the starting lineup. However, these changes posed challenges to the team's cohesion. Part of the difficulty stemmed from Syria being considered slightly stronger and having seven players competing in foreign leagues.
During the first 20 minutes of the first half, Que Ngoc Hai and his teammates encountered difficulties in their performance and strategy. However, the team's notable highlight was their successful implementation of high-pressing tactics, which effectively stifled the opponent's ability to create scoring chances. The paths toward Syria's goal were effectively blocked, prompting Nguyen Quang Hai and Cong Phuong to attempt long-range shots during the middle of the first half but to no avail.
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Cong Phuong has the first match under the new coaching staff. |
In the 36th minute, the Vietnamese players had an opportunity to penetrate the opponent's goal. The ball was passed from Nguyen Tuan Anh to Quang Hai, who skillfully delivered a cross, but unfortunately, Cong Phuong's header hit the post. The Vietnamese national team persisted with their long-range shooting approach, with Nguyen Van Tung, Cong Phuong, and Nguyen Tuan Anh having chances to test the goalkeeper. However, their efforts were not fruitful, and the 0-0 draw at halftime accurately portrayed the state of the match.
Nevertheless, it was the team's persistent efforts in taking long-range shots that enabled Vietnam to break the deadlock early in the second half. Just four minutes after the game resumed, Thai Son recovered the ball and passed it to Pham Tuan Hai, who swiftly turned and unleashed a shot from outside the penalty area, sending the ball into the far corner of Syria's goal. The opening goal provided a morale boost for the home team. Meanwhile, on the sidelines, Coach Troussier consistently made tactical and personnel changes.
In the 53rd and 79th minutes, Quang Hai made further attempts with long-range shots. As the game reached the 90th minute, Khuat Van Khang provided an assist to Nguyen Van Toan, whose shot hit a Syrian player's hand inside the penalty area, but the referee did not award a penalty. On the other end of the field, the away team managed to create some threatening attacks toward Dang Van Lam's goal. In the middle of the second half, Khouli and Mawas had opportunities to approach the home team's goal, but the defense led by Ngoc Hai remained resolute.
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The Vietnamese football team has a good match against Syria. |
In the end, the Vietnamese national team held on to their slim 1-0 victory until the final whistle. It was another hard-fought win for Coach Troussier's team, but their performance was much more impressive than their previous match against Hong Kong (China). Following this game, the entire team will temporarily disband and return to their respective clubs to participate in the V-League. They will reunite once again during the FIFA Days in September.
