International friendly during FIFA Days in October 2024: Vietnam national team 1 – 1 India national team
The international friendly during FIFA Days in October 2024 between the Vietnam national team and the India national team at Thien Truong Stadium on the evening of October 12 ended with a score of 1-1. It’s a rather disappointing result, as Coach Kim Sang Sik’s players had many opportunities but failed to convert them into goals.
14/10/2024 14:49:58
With the goal of experimenting with personnel in preparation for the 2023 Southeast Asian Championship, Coach Kim Sang Sik made numerous changes to the lineup compared to the previous matches against Russia and Thailand. Specifically, Thanh Long, Ngoc Quang, and Van Vu started instead of Hung Dung, Van Truong, and Van Thanh. In the attacking line, Quang Hai and Tien Linh were replaced by Ngoc Quang and Vi Hao. It was Vi Hao who earned a penalty for the Vietnam national team by forcing the opposing defender to commit a foul in the box. Unfortunately, captain Que Ngoc Hai could not beat goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh in the one-on-one from the penalty spot.
In the last 15 minutes of the first half, the Vietnam national team played more flexibly, creating breakthrough plays to break through the opponent’s defense. In the 32nd minute, Que Ngoc Hai executed an impressive through ball for Van Toan to chase down, but the ball slipped through his feet. Afterwards, Chau Ngoc Quang controlled the ball with one touch to evade a defender and shot with his left foot, narrowly missing the post. Vietnam’s efforts were finally rewarded in the 38th minute. From a corner kick, Van Vu delivered a cross, and Que Ngoc Hai headed it back. Vi Hao then struck the ball through a crowd of players and past the Indian goalkeeper, opening the scoring for the Vietnam national team.
The players of Coach Kim Sang Sik seemed poised for a better performance, but everything turned out differently than expected. In the 53rd minute, Vietnam was dealt a harsh blow, starting from a long pass from their own half that broke through India’s defensive structure. Que Ngoc Hai was unable to defend effectively in a one-on-one situation with Farukh Haji, allowing the player to easily chip the ball over goalkeeper Nguyen Filip, equalizing the score at 1-1 for India.
Continuous substitutions followed, with Hoang Duc, Hong Duy, and Vi Hao leaving the field to make way for Van Khang, Thai Son, Tien Linh, and Dinh Bac. However, these changes did not yield results, especially in the attacking front. Coach Kim Sang Sik brought on Van Quyet and Quang Hai in the 72nd minute. Just a few minutes after entering the field, Quang Hai generated an “ooh” from the crowd with a powerful shot that missed the target. Again, Quang Hai received a pass from Van Quyet and unleashed a “lightning-fast” shot, but fortunately for India, goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh made an outstanding save.
With his energetic play, Van Quyet left a strong impression with his final passes. In the 85th minute, Tien Linh headed the ball to Van Quyet, who set up Quang Hai for a shot. The Indian goalkeeper was beaten, but a defender managed to clear the ball off the line. The match concluded with a final score of 1-1. While this result may not fully satisfy the fans, the game against the South Asian team is still considered a valuable test for Coach Kim Sang Sik’s players as they prepare for the ASEAN Cup, which will take place in December.
Post-Match Statement
Coach Kim Sang Sik (Vietnam National Team)
“Right from the start of the first half, we brought in new players. I was quite satisfied with the first half. Although we conceded a goal in the second half, the players continued to put in effort until the very end. I appreciate that.”
“In the second half, I wanted to give more opportunities to the substitute players. They performed quite well. We are still considering many factors for the AFF Cup. The players worked hard in the second half, and we will make adjustments as needed, whether it’s arranging a three-man or four-man defense.”
“Van Quyet shared his retirement plans with me. He didn’t play the entire match today, but I know the fans respect him greatly. He played well, and I want to thank him for his contributions to the Vietnam national team.”
“I spoke with Van Quyet before the match. He mentioned his plans to step back from playing. I called him up for this squad because the team needed strikers. I also brought in Vi Hao to experiment alongside Tien Linh. I believe he will be a valuable player for the Vietnam national team in the future.”
Coach Manolo Marquez (India National team)
“The Vietnam national team has some exciting talents. Bui Vi Hao scored two goals against Nam Dinh. We are aware of his danger. Van Quyet also played very well when he came on in the second half.”
“Vietnamese players are faster than us. I instructed my players very clearly that they must either control the ball or they will be defeated. Overall, Vietnam has a quality squad with many good players. They are a team with great competitiveness for the future.”
“In the first half, Vietnam completely dominated the game. When we went into the locker room, I told my players that they had the quality and the skills, both technically and physically, to score. Our strength was evident in the equalizing goal. However, towards the end of the match, the Vietnam national team increased their pace and created more opportunities. Vietnam brought in some quality players from the bench, while we used many younger players. I am satisfied with this result.”
“The Vietnam national team played better than us in the first half, but the India national team performed better in the second half. We had a few dangerous chances. I think a 1-1 result is fair given the flow of the game.”
