Coach Park: 'Winning Malaysia 3-0 is a year-end gift for fans'
"In these last days of 2022, it's a pleasure because we won against Malaysia 3-0. Before the match, I told the players that the team must try to win to see off the old year and give gifts to the fans. . I thank the players for realizing that wish," the Vietnam coach said at the press conference after the match at My Dinh Stadium.
Next to the most annoying opponent in Group B, Vietnam won 3-0 with goals from Tien Linh, Que Ngoc Hai and Nguyen Hoang Duc. But the match also had countless fierce collision situations, fouls between players on both sides, causing Japanese referee Ryuji Sato to draw eight cards, including two red cards for Nguyen Van Toan and Azam Azmi.
However, Coach Park is not heavy on this. "I think football is a combat sport, so collisions are normal. Once on the field, players have to have disputes, they have to do it to win. Moreover, football has rules, if the goal is to play If you break the rules, you'll be disqualified. I don't see it as violence," the Korean leader said about the rain of referee cards Sato pulled out.
However, he expressed regret for Van Toan - the student left the field from the 38th minute, because he received two yellow cards from exactly two foul situations. This is the first time in his career, through more than 200 matches, this striker has been disqualified. "I don't think Van Toan intentionally got the second card, when he got on the ball late with the Malaysian defender. This red card affects the team, but I'm sorry for Van Toan, he himself is very sorry and sad, but I also hope this is a lesson for the whole team not to repeat in the next matches, "said Coach Park.
For more than half an hour of the game, from the time Van Toan left the field to the time when Malaysian defender Azam Azmi was sent off in the 64th minute, Vietnam faced many difficulties because they had to play without people. But Coach Park reacted promptly, bringing in midfielder Bui Tien Dung to replace Nguyen Thanh Chung at the beginning of the second half and adjusted the game to improve defense.
"Loss, so I had to adjust, for the team to switch to defensive play. In the first 15 minutes of the second half, we only pushed one full-back up, the other full-back closed in the kick like a midfielder. lining up, ensuring the number of troops, so as not to lose when the opponent counterattacks," explained the Vietnam coach.
The victory over Malaysia put Vietnam at the top of Group B. The team has the same six points as Malaysia and Singapore, but is ahead thanks to a superior difference, even though they have only played two matches. Another victory at Singapore Stadium in the next leg on December 30 will help Vietnam open the semi-finals and finish at the top of the table.
However, Coach Park still expressed caution. "There are four matches in the group stage, we've only played two. My motto is to go through each game, move forward with certainty. I can't say anything about the next match, just know that the team will have to win. Maximize resources to achieve good results, and I, as a coach, have a responsibility to help the team achieve the best results possible."
