Vietnam U22 coach: This time we were not led by the opponent, which is the key to victory
6686 Sports News on November 13 According to Vietnamese media SOHA, in the first round of the 2025 Panda Cup International Youth Football Invitational Tournament, the Vietnam U22 team defeated the Chinese U22 team 1-0 and got off to a good start, laying a solid foundation for competing for the championship of this tournament. After the game, Vietnam U22 coach Dinh Hongrong spoke highly of the team's performance: "First of all, I would like to congratulate all the players. Throughout the game, the whole team showed tenacious fighting spirit, strict organizational discipline and excellent psychological quality, and persisted until the last 90 minutes."
In the 81st minute of the game, Pham Minh Phuc caught an error in the opponent's defense and calmly scored, sealing the victory for the Vietnamese team. Ding Hongrong emphasized that this 1-0 victory was not only the result of the score, but also "the best reward for the team's careful preparation, strict implementation of strategic deployment and high degree of discipline." He was particularly satisfied with the players' "maintaining high concentration throughout the game, effectively controlling the rhythm of the game, and making the right decisions at critical moments."
"The most gratifying thing for me is that the team has made significant progress in high-post pressing, offensive and defensive transitions, and group replacement - these are the core contents that we have focused on polishing recently."
When asked about the difference compared with the previous two games against China U22 (a 1-2 loss in September 2024 and a 1-1 draw in March 2025), Ding Hongrong pointed out the decisive factor: " The biggest change lies in the team's strategic thinking and initiative. In the past, we were often led by our opponents, but tonight, Vietnam U22 took the initiative to press, always maintained a compact formation, and firmly controlled the game through appropriate passing control. It was this change that allowed us to win the game."
It is worth mentioning that since entering 2025, Vietnam U22 has remained undefeated against China U22. Ding Hongrong also particularly praised the discipline and mental toughness displayed by the players at the critical stage of the game, especially at the end of the game. "Our coaching staff has also done a thorough analysis of the opponent, and the strategic adjustments have become more flexible, and the players accurately executed the planned deployment on the field. This victory proves that Vietnam U22 is on the right path, the team is becoming increasingly mature, and the cohesion is also increasing."
