HLV Bangladesh: 'Vietnam can win against Malaysia'

Coach Javier Cabrera highly regards the strength of the Vietnam team, believing Coach Kim Sang-sik and his squad are capable of defeating Malaysia in the upcoming decisive match.

Coach Javier Cabrera made notable comments following the loss to Vietnam in the friendly match, acknowledging the opponent's strength while also highlighting positive aspects of his own team.

"This was truly a challenging match. I understand the capabilities of the Vietnam team, and they demonstrated their true level. However, my team competed better in the second half," Cabrera began. The Spanish coach also stated that Vietnam is a strong contender for the upcoming match: "They will face Malaysia and have a great opportunity to secure a victory."

When asked about the naturalized players of the Vietnam team, Coach Cabrera was quite cautious in his assessment. "Vietnam has many talented players who are at a very good developmental age. I was impressed with some faces from the previous Asian U23 tournament. The naturalized players are just an additional supplement to the existing quality," he shared.

Additionally, this strategist also explained the reason for the Bangladesh players returning to the field slowly at the start of the second half. "We only had a few discussions in the dressing room to prepare better. There was no particular issue, just that the distance from the dressing room to the field is quite long," he said with a relaxed attitude.

Analyzing the changes between the two halves, Coach Cabrera mentioned that Bangladesh made certain adjustments, especially on the wings. "We made changes in the full-back positions, but it wasn't anything too major. In the first half, Vietnam held their positions very well, exploited spaces effectively, and utilized set situations well. That is what dissatisfied me," he candidly stated.

Nevertheless, he also acknowledged the improvement of his players after the break. "In the second half, the team played better, organized more tightly, and somewhat limited the pressure from the opponent," Cabrera concluded, simultaneously viewing this as necessary preparation for the journey ahead.