Timor Lester U-22 team head coach Kim Shin Hwan showed much respect to Vietnam in the opening match of SEA Games.
“The Vietnamese players played better than us. They absolutely deserved this victory. In addition, we have been here for only three days, so it is impossible for our players to get the best preparation,” Kim said in a post-match press conference, as quoted by VnExpress.vn.
Being asked about the most impressive Vietnamese players, the Korean coach expressed his appreciation to the high level of Vietnam U-22, who are also considered title favorites.
“All of the Vietnamese players played well in this match. But in terms of attacking players, number 6 (Xuan Truong), number 9 (Van Toan) and number 10 (Cong Phuong) were putting the most intense pressure on our defenders,” he said.
On the other hand, Kim believed that Vietnam could be the strongest contenders for this year’s SEA Games title.
“Vietnam is the strongest team in this competition. They are the number one contender for the gold medal,” the South Korean coach added.