Welcoming the New Year away from home, head coach Kim Sang-sik and his players stayed fully focused as they entered the final days of preparation ahead of their opening match at the continental finals.

On January 1, Vietnam’s first Group-stage opponents, Jordan, played out a 1-1 draw against Japan in a friendly match, with striker Fakhouri on the scoresheet. The result, however, had no impact on Vietnam’s preparation plans.

Training sessions in Qatar were conducted with strong intensity, as players worked through tactical drills under close supervision from the coaching staff. The focus remains on fine-tuning attacking patterns and ensuring mental readiness ahead of the tournament.

Young players such as Cong Phuong and Van Thuan have shown positive signs in training, helping ease concerns within the coaching staff as striker Thanh Nhan continues to recover from a muscle tear.

Coach Kim has yet to finalise the 23-man squad for the AFC U23 Asian Cup. Thanh Nhan’s condition will be assessed over the coming days, with the possibility that he will still travel with the team to Saudi Arabia.

Following their gold-medal triumph at the 33rd SEA Games, Vietnam are widely regarded as having made significant progress, highlighted by victories over Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand in the final.

The coaching staff are expected to make tactical adjustments for the Asian Cup, where Vietnam may adopt a more flexible approach compared to the aggressive style shown at the SEA Games. Experience against West Asian teams in recent years is seen as a key factor in shaping the team’s strategy.

Vietnam edged by Syria in final tune-up ahead of AFC U23 Asian Cup

VOV.VN - Vietnam lost 2-1 to Syria in a closed-door friendly on December 30, a match aimed at testing squad depth and tactical options ahead of the AFC U23 Asian Cup finals in Saudi Arabia.