Nepal's Coach Points Out Weaknesses of Vietnam National Team in 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers

Nepal's head coach Matt Ross expressed strong determination ahead of the rematch against Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Four days after the defeat to Vietnam, Nepal is preparing for the fourth match of Group F in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers against Vietnam.

In the pre-match press conference, coach Matt Ross affirmed that Nepal’s players will enter the game with the determination to earn points against Vietnam, also believing that the pressure on the home team to win will create an opportunity for the South Asian side to cause an upset.

Specifically, the Australian strategist shared: "Nepal is fully focused on the rematch with Vietnam tomorrow evening (October 14). We have analyzed what we failed to do. The players are also disappointed about the goals conceded. However, I encouraged them, saying they have done well.

In tomorrow’s match, Nepal will give their all. We will not give up and hope to deliver a competitive game. Hopefully, Nepal will challenge the Vietnamese team.

Nepal’s players always aim to win whenever they step on the field. But I am concerned whether the players have fully recovered. They are not yet in their best condition. They are working hard to recover and I hope they can play with a relaxed mindset against Vietnam.

I understand that Vietnam is under pressure from fans and media to win, so we will try to take advantage of this to achieve a favorable result. I believe Nepal can earn points."

In the match on October 9, coach Kim Sang Sik’s star-studded team easily controlled the game, creating many scoring chances against Nepal, but also faced difficulties against the visitors’ concentrated defense. This will be a foundation for coach Matt Ross and his players to aim for points on away ground.

Additionally, the 1978-born coach is confident that Nepal will maintain a suitable playing style if the weather conditions are favorable.

He added: "I have mentioned that Vietnam’s team value is three to four times higher than Nepal’s. But Nepal’s players tried very hard. I believe if they follow tactics, put in effort, and get a bit of luck, Nepal will reach their goal.

Nepal also wants to exploit set pieces because we have tall players who are good in aerial duels to unlock Vietnam’s defense. This will be our approach.

Currently, it is the rainy season in Nepal, so my players are used to it. Nepal recently played at a stadium in Bangladesh, and I believe no playing conditions are worse than that. We are not afraid of rain or wind. Even our goalkeeper is accustomed to playing in the rain.The more it rains, the more we like it.

Vietnam has good crosses, but we have analyzed and prepared countermeasures, and I believe Nepal will have plans to neutralize them."

Currently, Vietnam ranks second in Group F with six points, while Nepal is at the bottom with no points. If Vietnam wins the next match, they will have a chance to close the gap with Malaysia, who leads the group with a perfect nine points, and continue chasing the sole qualifying spot for the 2027 Asian Cup finals.

The match between Nepal and Vietnam will take place at 7:30 PM tomorrow (October 14).

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