Comments on Vietnam National Team’s recent match against Japan were translated by Thanh Nien newspaper and the US website ESPN said: “Japan survived the opening match of the 2024 Asian Cup. The heroic defeat is a good omen for Vietnamese football.
For a team that not only set a record of winning the AFC Asian Cup four times but is also entering the latest tournament in high form, the Japanese team is expected to easily defeat Vietnam in the opening match of Group D.
No one could have predicted that terrible scenario. Perhaps we need to know what the Vietnamese dressing room says – the people who almost stopped the Japanese national team.
The top creative midfielder of the Vietnam national team, Nguyen Quang Hai, has not yet been able to play at the 2024 Asian Cup. Photo: VFF.
And even if it fails, Vietnam certainly still has much to be optimistic about. They surprised Asia, especially when fans doubted whether this was their best lineup or not. Star Nguyen Quang Hai – the most prominent player in Vietnamese football is still sitting on the bench.
Obviously, with what the Vietnamese team has brought, they are making Indonesia and Iraq wary. With the four third-placed teams also winning the right to enter the round of 16, just one win in the remaining two matches is enough for Vietnam to have a chance to advance. More importantly, their efforts against mighty Japan showed that it was within their capabilities”.