Vietnam makes Malaysia hate again
As a guest at My Dinh, Malaysia entered the game with a fast counter-attacking style. However, coach Park Hang-seo's teachers and students took advantage of a corner situation to overcome, thanks to Tien Linh's header. Difficulties came to the home team when Van Toan received a second yellow card, five minutes after the opening goal. In a short position, Dang Van Lam shone with two ecstatic saves, helping Vietnam keep the lead at halftime.
The two teams entered the second half with separate calculations. Despite losing, Vietnam did not have a defensive cluster but pressed, ready to attack when they had the ball. The turning point came in the 60th minute. Azam Azmi retaliated, kicking Van Hau in the head when both were thrown off the field after the collision. This behavior did not go unnoticed by referee Ryuji Sato. After consulting his assistant, he drew a red card with the Malaysian defender and gave Vietnam a penalty.
From this point on, victory is firmly in the hands of the home team. Que Ngoc Hai fooled goalkeeper Hazmi on the penalty spot, doubling the gap. With nothing left to lose, coach Kim Pan-gon added a striker to the field. However, not only did not score, Malaysia conceded the third goal after Vietnam's counter-attack, when Quang Hai poked a slot for Hoang Duc to click the ball past Hazmi. If taking advantage of better opportunities, the home team can win more boldly. But the 3-0 victory was enough to recreate the victory in the group stage of the AFF Cup 2021, thereby extending Malaysia's disappointing series of matches against Vietnam.
There will be controversy about two red cards in this match. But referee Sato was right with his decision. Van Toan fouled Dominic Tan in the middle of the field, but it was a dangerous footwork. Soon being sent off the field is a grim ending for the Hai Duong-born striker in the rare time he gets to start the team. But his teammates helped Van Toan avoid becoming a criminal. And in the situation of drawing a red card with Azmi, although the phase was cold outside, the referee did the right thing when giving Vietnam a penalty.
The person Van Toan probably needs to thank the most is Van Lam. The mature goalkeeper in Russia was once considered to be a factor in helping the Vietnamese team transform under Coach Park and he once again proved his worth. Good fitness helps Van Lam push Bin Mahadi's header to hit the bar and out. Not long after, when Bin Mahadi tricked both Van Hau and Thanh Chung, Van Lam again corrected his teammates with his brilliant reflexes to prevent a sinking shot from the opponent.
This victory once again demonstrates the bravery of Vietnam under Coach Park. By bringing in Tien Dung to replace Thanh Chung and instructing his students not to retreat but continue to apply pressure, the Korean leader hit the Malaysian mentality, making them impatient. Azmi's retaliatory phase is the result of that process. It seemed that the situation was not dangerous, but Van Hau's fierce dispute made the Malaysian defender inhibited and then made a mistake.
Another strength of Vietnam shown in this match is the depth of the squad, helping Coach Park to manage in many situations. However, the ability to finish is still a concern when Tien Linh has not reached the highest finishing performance, while Quang Hai has not achieved the best ball feeling.
With this victory, Vietnam usurped the top of Group B from Malaysia. The same 6 points as the opponent, but coach Park's teachers and students have a better goal difference (+9 compared to +3). Vietnam also played one match less than Malaysia. In the next turn, "Golden Stars" will be guests at Singapore Stadium on December 30, while Malaysia will have a break.
