Việt Nam target Asian Cup knockout stage

Philippe Troussier and his players in a training earlier this week in Hà Nội. Photo of VFF

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam arrived in Qatar for the Asian Cup yesterday and coach Philippe Troussier set a target of reaching the knockout round despite the team’s many injuries.

The French coach brought a squad of 30 players which will be reduced to 26 in the next day ahead of the tough challenge of Group D where they will face Japan, Indonesia and Iraq.

“I have called 60 players for training for the Asian Cup from December 28. All of them had an opportunity to take part in the event,” said Troussier at a press briefing on January 4 in Hà Nội.

Among 30 players in Qatar, Troussier called up three goalkeepers, nine defenders, 12 midfielders and six forwards. They are not the strongest after nine players including key members left the team because of injuries. They were No 1 goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm, national Golden Statue holder Nguyễn Hoàng Đức and veteran defender Quế Ngọc Hải.

However, Troussier believes that he could do good job with current side.

“I evaluate players’ abilities based on their performance on the field. The selected players all fit the physical criteria, connectivity, spirit and attitude. Good ones will be picked regardless of age.

“With these players, I can arrange different line-ups for different tactics when facing with different rivals.

“In the last eight months, I have been working with many players. With what we have done, players are ready to replace their teammates in necessary situations.

“The squad that I pick for Qatar are the best currently available. Don’t think that they are substitutes or the one in the lower level. I consider them of the top flight and want them to believe in it too.”

Vietnamese players check-in for their trip to Qatar yesterday. Việt Nam aims to qualify for the knock-out rounds of the Asian Cup. — Photo giaoducthoidai.vn

Asked about Việt Nam’s playing style at the Asian Cup, Troussier said Japan and Iraq were strong teams while Indonesia were not an easy rival.

Vietnamese players had to play confidently and be proactive in all matches.

The coach said: “We will have our plan for each match. The first target is to pass the group stage. We will first play Japan. In terms of probability, we might lose nine out of 10 matches to them but we can still have one win.

“Our key match will be against Indonesia. The result of this match will play a vital role in Việt Nam’s target. Four years ago Việt Nam only needed one win and better fair-play points to advance to the next round. This year we also need luck too.

“About Iraq, we lost to them at the 2026 World Cup qualification. Players collected experience and learned lessons to do their job better. I want them to try their best until the last minutes.”

The tactician put his trust on players who would play for the national pride.

“I believe in them who show their great effort every day. They are not stars but together, we will unite and get highest results,” he added. VNS