Defender U23 Vietnam: 'We are still poor in fighting'
On the evening of March 22, U23 Vietnam played the first official match under the new coach Philippe Troussier. Contrary to the expectation of a new look, the team received three goals and two red cards belonging to midfielder Vu Tien Long and midfielder Vo Hoang Minh Khoa.
In which, Tien Long was disqualified from the game from the 22nd minute for preventing the opponent's striker from having the opportunity to face goalkeeper Quan Van Chuan. After about 10 minutes, coach Troussier withdrew striker Nguyen Van Truong to launch Tran Quang Thinh on the field to strengthen the defense. However, under great pressure from Iraq, the team had to receive two more goals.
"We are still poor when we go to foreign arenas. But football has wins and losses and is a player who needs to show bravery to overcome difficulties," Quang Thinh said before the training session on the afternoon of March 23, At the same time, he admits that he has many shortcomings and has not been able to support the team much when needed.
The central defender of the Hanoi Police Club also revealed that Coach Troussier calmly accepted this defeat because he helped the team break many things and did not scold the player. "Teacher encourages this is just a friendly match, the bigger immediate goal is the SEA Games, the World Cup," he added. "Where did I go wrong, correct it and try to improve day by day."
The biggest pressure that Quang Thinh and his teammates feel right now is from public opinion. "We only know that when we go to the field, we will fight to the end because of the color of the flag," he said. "I hope the fans will not turn their backs on the team no matter what."
Today, coach Troussier will operate on the tape to correct the mistakes made in the defeat against Iraq. Vietnam has two days off before entering the second match at 0:30 on March 26 (Hanoi time), against the UAE - the team that defeated the host Qatar 1-0. Despite receiving a direct red card, Tien Long was only suspended for one match due to the rules of the tournament.
