Southeast Asia Vietnam

Malaysia 2-2 Vietnam – The View from Vietnam

By: , December 13, 2018 10:25 pm
Credit – Tienphong

Vietnam failed to hold on to a two-goal lead at the Bukit Jalil National Stadium in the final of the 2018 AFF Cup on Tuesday. However, the ‘Golden Dragons’ still have a slim advantage as they prepare to host the second leg this Saturday. Football Tribe Vietnam’s Tran Tien discusses the five major takeaways from that match:

Wasted Chances

For yet another time in this tournament, we must talk about Vietnam wasting excellent scoring chances. If the team had scored a third goal, the trophy would have effectively been secured.

Sub-par Defenders

Vietnam's goalkeeper and defenders made some errors under the immense pressure in the Bukit Jalil National Stadium. They could have done better in both of Malaysia's goal situations.

Quang Hai's Overload

Nguyen Quang Hai played very well in the match, but he seemed to be fatigued in the final 10 minutes. In some instances, he was only able to walk on the field. This presents a very big problem for the team, as the Hanoi FC midfielder is crucial for Vietnam.

Rare Mistakes From Park

Coach Park Hang-Seo has chosen the right approach of the game with suitable players at the start of the match. But he made some errors when making substitutions in the second half. He took Duc Chinh off very early to bring on Tien Linh, and it caused some problem for the attacking force.

Ultras Malaya

Malaysia' supporters had a very good game. They sang and supported their nation for the entire match. It helped Malaysia's team become more confident, while it meant that Vietnam's players could not keep calm during the match.