"The greatest strength of Vietnam is its relentless fighting spirit. We will play with confidence. The team has been receiving huge support from Vietnam Football Federation as well as encouragement from the fans," Hai told the press after a training session Monday night.
As a player with excellent skill in set pieces, Hai is expected to create a surprise in the upcoming game with Saudi Arabia.
"Not just me but other players have also prepared for set-piece situations. Hopefully, we can make the most out of our chances," he added, as cited in a VFF statement.
This is the first time Vietnam have qualified for the final round of World Cup qualifiers, and Saudi Arabia will be their first challenge.
"Playing on their home turf will be really tough but we are getting our confidence up. Vietnam are well-prepared. We will play the game as we were taught in training. For me, my target is to play with 100 percent of my ability," Hai said.
The team will have two more training sessions before going into the game with Saudi Arabia at King Saud University Stadium on Sept. 2., which is 1 a.m. on Sept. 3 (Hanoi time).
The game will be reported live by VnExpress International.