Vietnam – Nepal: Awaiting Coach Kim Sang-sik’s Strategic Moves

Although this is the second leg and Nepal was originally scheduled to host, due to domestic instability, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) decided to hold the match at Thong Nhat Stadium (Ho Chi Minh City). This provides a significant advantage for Coach Kim Sang-sik’s team, playing with home crowd support despite being officially the “away” side.

The Vietnamese team’s goal is nothing less than securing all 3 points to strengthen their second-place position and continue their pursuit of qualification for the 2027 Asian Cup finals. After 3 matches, Vietnam has 6 points, temporarily sitting second in Group F, 3 points behind Malaysia. In this rematch, winning is mandatory for Coach Kim Sang-sik’s squad, who also aim to deliver a convincing victory for their fans.

In the first leg against Nepal at Go Dau Stadium, Coach Kim Sang-sik opted for a cautious approach by fielding the most experienced players. However, the home team faced a tough challenge against the South Asian side on Go Dau’s pitch. Vietnam won 3-1 but the style of play did not fully satisfy the supporters. For this second leg at Thong Nhat, fans are eagerly anticipating an exciting match from Vietnam and hope to see some tactical experiments from the Korean coach.

In the first leg, with Dang Van Lam in goal, the defensive trio consisted of Tien Dung, Duy Manh, and Xuan Manh. Five midfielders were Tien Anh, Hoang Duc, Thanh Long, Hai Long, and Cao Quang Vinh. Leading the attack were Tuan Hai and Tien Linh. It’s clear Coach Kim Sang-sik was very cautious against Nepal. Despite facing a much lower-ranked opponent, none of the eight U23 players were included in the starting lineup.

Even after Vietnam scored the opening goal in the 9th minute by Tien Linh, Coach Kim Sang-sik did not boldly experiment with his young players. The team remained cautious, especially after Nepal equalized. Near the end of the first half, when Nepal was reduced to 10 men, Vietnam still relied on veteran players.

Only in the second substitution phase of the second half did Thanh Nhan, Duc Chien, and Gia Hung come off the bench. Then at the 84th minute, another young player, Dinh Bac, was introduced.

In the first leg, Thanh Nhan once managed to break through Nepal’s defense in the second half, although the goal was disallowed due to offside. Nevertheless, the way Thanh Nhan struck the ball into Nepal’s net demonstrated his solid technique, quick movements, and high alertness.

Thanh Nhan specifically, and the U23 players in general, possess another notable trait: a strong desire to prove themselves at the national team level. This ambition helps them play with more energy, enthusiasm, and fearlessness in physical confrontations with opponents.

One notable point is that in the first leg, Vietnam’s offense struggled against Nepal’s disciplined and physically tough defense. Their transition and finishing in the first half lacked sharpness. Additionally, the defense showed vulnerabilities. The conceded goal came from a fundamental mistake, highlighting a lack of solidity in defensive organization.

Coach Kim Sang-sik will surely make adjustments so his players learn from these experiences, stay focused, and capitalize on opportunities more efficiently.

It makes sense that Coach Kim Sang-sik continues to respect the opponent by not rushing to use young players in this Thong Nhat match. However, if Vietnam can gain an early lead, the coach might make changes, giving players like Hieu Minh, Nhat Minh, Phi Hoang, Van Khang, Xuan Bac, Thanh Nhan, or Dinh Bac a chance to enter the game.

In the pre-match press conference, Coach Kim Sang-sik declared his intention to achieve a big win over Nepal this time. The Korean strategist also revealed that he has trained his team with more varied attacking tactics to score many goals against Nepal.

In this rematch, Hoang Duc and his teammates need to alter their approach and improve their goal-scoring efficiency, making the most of their chances. Vietnam also needs to secure a large-margin victory to gain a favorable goal difference over Malaysia.

To add an element of surprise and refresh their style, Coach Kim Sang-sik is likely to start with some U23 players instead of the all-veteran lineup used in the first leg.

Nepal is not a very strong opponent, and Vietnam must demonstrate convincing play. This is also the time for Coach Kim Sang-sik to make short-term, reasonable tactical decisions.

Expected starting lineups for both teams

Nepal: Kiran Limbu, Sanish Shrestha, Suman Shrestha, Ananta Tamang, Rohit Chand, Arik Bista, Jung Karki, Subash Bam, Rohan Karki, Ayush Ghalan, Manish Dangi

Vietnam: Van Lam, Tien Anh, Xuan Manh, Duy Manh, Van Vi, Quang Vinh, Hoang Duc, Thanh Long, Thanh Nhan, Tien Linh, Tuan Hai