Malaysian media highlights Coach Kim Sang Sik's concerns ahead of the major battle

Malaysian media reports that Coach Kim Sang Sik fears the Vietnamese team is facing a personnel crisis due to injuries and fatigue before the match against Malaysia.

Malaysian media outlet NST reports on the less-than-optimistic situation of the Vietnamese national team ahead of the crucial encounter, emphasizing Coach Kim Sang Sik's concerns regarding injury and fitness issues. Howeverdespite securing a 3-0 victory over Bangladesh in a friendly match, the Korean tactician still cannot feel reassured about the squad's strength.

In the match held at Hàng Đẫy Stadium (Hanoi), the Vietnamese team gained an early advantage with Zayyan Ahmed's own goal in the 8th minute. Subsequently, Phạm Xuân Mạnh and Nguyễn Hải Long scored successively, allowing the home team to easily control the game and conclude with a convincing victory.

However, according to assessments from Malaysian press, this result does not fully reflect the internal issues of the Vietnamese national team. The team ranked 103rd in the world is said to face difficulties in squad depth as many key players are not in optimal physical condition, especially amidst a congested match schedule.

Coach Kim Sang Sik frankly admitted the team lacks necessary stability. He revealed the absence of Nguyễn Quang Hải – one of the most important players – significantly impacted the tactical operation. Additionally, this strategist also had to continuously rotate the lineup to reduce the load on players.

A noteworthy detail is Đoàn Văn Hậu being tested in the winger position during the match against Bangladesh. According to explanations, this is a measure to limit this player's playing time while also creating additional tactical options amidst depleted personnel. Nevertheless the availability of Văn Hậu as well as Nguyễn Xuân Son for the upcoming match remains uncertain.

Notably, according to Malaysian media, Coach Kim Sang Sik also hinted at the potential absence of some key players in the next match. Specifically, naturalized player Nguyễn Xuân Son and Đoàn Văn Hậu – who only entered from the bench in the second half against Bangladesh – may not recover sufficiently to play in the next match. In that context, fatigue following the V-League season continues to be seen as a major challenge, causing the Vietnamese team to face the risk of personnel shortage ahead of the encounter with Malaysia.