Vietnam concluded the first leg of the World Cup qualification last week with an emphatic 1-0 home win over the United Arab Emirates on November 14, which sent them to the top of Group G with 10 points, three clear of Thailand.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Park highlighted the importance of the Thailand encounter at Hanoi’s My Dinh National Stadium on November 19, asking his players to stay optimally focused for the game.
“This will be the last match of the Vietnamese team in 2019. I know the significance of the clash, and so do the players. They are aware of the expectations from local fans. I see the determination in their eyes. But I admit that they are under tension. I want them to stay focused, and until now all are in the best condition,” the Republic of Korea tactician told reporters.
Taking about the Thai opponents, Park stated that he and his partners have worked out the War Elephants’ weak points and are now ready for the Tuesday encounter.
“Tomorrow’s game is very important, so I can’t share exactly what we have prepared for it here. However, I can say for sure that we have discovered some weak points of Thailand through their defeat against Malaysia.”
Responding to queries on the form of his players, Park expressed his faith in Cong Phuong’s scoring against Thailand, while affirming that midfielder Quang Hai is qualified enough to play in Japan.
“I strongly believe that Cong Phuong will shine and score goals if playing Thailand tomorrow. Meanwhile, if Chanathip can play in Japan, there is no reason that Quang Hai can’t. Whether Quang Hai plays football in Japan or not depends on his club. Quang Hai is not inferior to Chanathip at all. I would like to disclose that Quang Hai has received an invitation to play in a much higher-class league than J-League, La Liga in Spain.”
For his part, Thailand coach Akira Nishino admitted that he was under pressure ahead of the meeting with Vietnam.
“When playing on home turf, we feel more assured with the strong support from local fans. I admit suffering certain pressure when playing away against Vietnam.”
The Japanese tactician said he has followed Vietnamese football for a long period and highly appreciates the progress made by the Golden Dragons.
“I admire Vietnam’s recent form. They have beaten many strong opponents in the region. I think it’s great as regional football is competitive. As far as I am concerned, Vietnam and Thailand are archrivals in the region. Vietnamese football has helped Thailand learn a lot.”
On the same day, coach Park Hang-seo finalised the 23-man Vietnam team for the Thailand encounter tomorrow. Accordingly, he eliminated midfielder Huy Hung (Quang Nam FC) and centre back Huu Tuan (Ho Chi Minh City), and gave opportunities to Le Van Dai and Nguyen Trong Hung, who were not previously named in the Vietnamese squad for the UAE meeting on Nov. 14.
