Football

Vietnamese players in a training session on December 16 in Manila. They will play the Philippines on December 18. Photos of VFF

HÀ NỘI A win over the Philippines on December 18 will send Việt Nam into the ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2024's semi-finals, with a game in hand.

Landing in Manila on December 16, the team was warmly welcomed by Việt Nam Ambassador Lại Thái Bình, his staff and many Vietnamese people living in the Philippines.

Ambassador Bình congratulated the team for their two wins and encouraged them to keep up their winning streak against the hosts.

Việt Nam Football Federation Vice President Trần Anh Tú said that the whole team would do their best to bring a victory home.

Việt Nam are currently in the lead position of Group B. with a maximum six points from two wins including a 1-0 victory over arch-rival Indonesia on December 15, which could almost be considered the group's final.

A win over the Philippines will not only strengthen the former champions' top position, but also bring them the first semi-final ticket, happy to ignore any other results from the remaining teams' matches.

Coach Kim Sang-sik expects to have his best players for the game, with defender Bùi Tiến Dũng, who has a knee pain and midfielder Nguyễn Hai Long, with a leg injury, both recovering well.

His mood was further enhanced by the return to form of national star Nguyễn Quang Hải.

The midfielder scored the winner for Việt Nam in the match against Indonesia. He was voted man of the match and one of two Vietnamese players, along with defender Phạm Xuân Mạnh, named in the Best XI of the Cup's round three.

Việt Nam-Indonesia's man of the match Nguyễn Quang Hải (left) is returning to top form. -- Photo of VFF

The big issue for Kim, the heavy playing schedule, with one game every three days and players' tiredness from travelling across the home-and-away format of the tournament.

“Competing one game every three days is a concern for not only Việt Nam, but also all teams. Players are facing a physical battle, but we can't change the schedule, we have to adapt," said Kim.

"The coaching board has to find solution to deal with it. We have adjusted our training plan so that our players will get in the field in the best condition.

“In addition to supplementing the players' nutrition, I can rotate the players on the field to best maintain their health. All teams have the same problem, so they have to win with strong spirit."

He said that there was no first-choice or reserve players in his squad. Depending on the match, he would choose a different line-up, so every player should be ready to play.

Another problem for South Korean coach Kim and his players is the Rizal Memorial Stadium's artificial grass, a surface which is not familiar to Vietnamese players.

However, during the team's training camp in South Korea last month, the players had several training sessions on an artificial pitch and they will have two days of practice prior to the Manila match, so Kim hopes they will become more used to the play.

"There has also been a big difference between this meet and previous ones. The Philippines have made many changes in their force, so I think their training and tactics also changed," said Kim.

"However, we are still aiming for the same results as in June (World Cup matches). I clearly know their strengths and weaknesses, playing style, while the players understand my style and how I want them to play. We will also try our best to win tomorrow's match."

Coach Kim Sang-sik at the press conference on December 17 in Manila. -- Photo of VFF

While the visitors are on a nice smooth track in the cup, the hosts are falling behind in the race to be in the top two of the group.

They struggled to earn two points from the first two matches against the lower ranked sides of Cambodia and Laos, scoring only two goals. Their winless streak now runs to 12 games, which includes nine defeats.

The home ground advantage may not be a comfort to the Philippines, as they lost to Việt Nam in seven of their latest games, including two matches at the 2026 World Cup qualification.

Kick off is at 8pm local time and will be officiated by referee Akobirxuja Shukurullaev of Uzbekistan. His two assistants are country-fellows Andrey Tsapenko and Timur Gaynulin. VNS