Vietnam to go all out in ‘decisive’ match vs Nepal

Vietnam’s emphatic win 3-0 win against Pakistan in the first match of the group stage of Asiad 2018 on Tuesday has left head coach Park Hang-seo less than impressed.

“We won 3-0 against Pakistan but honestly I cannot be fully happy with the players’ performance as they did not meet my expectations. However, with all the difficulties like weather and training conditions, I am fairly satisfied with the result,” Park said.

He also said he hopes Vietnam’s next opponent, Nepal, will play attacking football as they have said in their interview with the press.

“In the match with Japan, Nepal played counter attack with a lot of defenders in the box and their possession was only 20 percent. But I hope they will attack more as they have said before the match. We will see if it’s true, on the field. Nevertheless, Vietnam will have to prepare for all the possibilities.”

Head coach of Vietnam football team, Park Hang-seo answers questions from the press in Jakarta, Indonesia on August 15, 2018. Photo by VnExpress/ Lam Thoa

Asked about the strength of Nepal, Park Hang-seo said although they were small, they had great strength and stamina.

“Our starting XI will have some changes in this match,” he added.

Vietnam will advance to round of 16 in Asiad 2018 if they win against Nepal at the match that will start at  Wibawa Mukti Stadium in West Java, Indonesia, at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

Stressing the importance the game, Park said: “This match is a decisive one as it’s our ticket to the next round, so the team will have to put maximum effort into it.”

Vietnam's final group match against Japan will be on Sunday.