>>> ESPN commends golden generation of Vietnamese football
>>> Preview: Vietnam on the verge of making history
>>> FIFA encourages Vietnam ahead of important World Cup qualifier against UAE
Hai, back after suspension, is a boost for the team as coach Park Hang-seo’s side seek ways to surpass the mighty UAE in their last match and earn a historic ticket to the final qualifying round for the first time ever.
During Park’s reign on the bench, the foundation for every victory of the Vietnamese team has been rooted in a solid defence and flexibility in switching to counter-attack.
Against hosts in destructive form (scoring 12 goals in three consecutive wins), Park has spent a lot of effort building up the ability to fight against the long ball and cover the low range for the "immutable" trio defenders Duy Manh – Ngoc Hai – Tien Dung, plus two wingbacks, probably Van Hau and Trong Hoang. The familiar 3-5-2 formation is ready to change into 5-3-2, increasing the team’s ability to withstand pressure.
Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia were defeated by the UAE's attacks because their central defenders in the 4-4-2 formation left too much open space as well. With a three central defender system like Vietnam plan to use, those weaknesses can be overcome.
The UAE have a strong attack capacity. This requires that in the middle, Park must arrange more specialised midfielders to intercept. Duc Huy is more suitable for this task, unfortunately he has too little time to integrate.
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The expected lineup of Vietnam.
Therefore, the duo of Xuan Truong - Hoang Duc will probably still be used, and both still have their own secret weapons. Hoang Duc has the ability to hold the ball quite well, while Xuan Truong with his long ball ability is suitable for counter-attacks.
Sacrificing a bit of attacking power on the wings, when Quang Hai returns, the Vietnamese team can make up for it with creativity. Quang Hai always plays well against Middle Eastern teams, thanks to his ingenuity, neat turning circle and somewhat "crazy" decision making ability.
Having Quang Hai means that his teammates up front like strikers Tien Linh or Van Toan will benefit. Tien Linh, even without any space, scored a super goal in the 1-0 win over the UAE in the first leg, while Van Toan has showed his ability to penetrate into the penalty area at high speed.
The biggest difficulty for Vietnam is the absence of head coach Park Hang-seo due to receiving two yellow cards. The Korean strategist will have to watch his players from the stands. Not directly leading Vietnam, all outcomes have been examined by Park and his team.
Leading the table, two points above second-placed UAE, Vietnam only need a draw to advance to the third qualifying round as Group G winners. However, speaking at the pre-match press brief, Park emphasised he did not want his players to only think about a draw against the home team.
The match between Vietnam and UAE will take place at 23:45 (Vietnam time) tonight at Zabeel Stadium in Dubai.
Expected lineup for Vietnam (5-3-2):
Tan Truong; Trong Hoang, Duy Manh, Ngoc Hai, Tien Dung, Van Hau; Hoang Duc, Xuan Truong, Quang Hai; Van Toan, Tien Linh.
