Park pleased with players after commanding win against Indonesia in World Cup qualifiers

Vietnam head coach Park Hang-seo praised his side for exerting great efforts to hold off Indonesia with a score of 4-0 in their World Cup qualifying match on Monday (June 7), thus tightening their grip on the top spot in Group G.

Tuesday, June 08, 2021 01:54

Vietnam head coach Park Hang-seo speaks during a press conference after their match with Indonesia. (Photo: VFF)

>>> World Cup qualifiers: Vietnam rout Indonesia 4-0 to solidify top spot

The AFF Cup champions produced some threats in the first half before smashing four straight goals in a booming second half to continue affirming their power as “kings” of Southeast Asian football.

“The whole team made great efforts today. We are very happy with the win. I would like to thank all my players,” Park said at a post-match press conference.

In addition, he did not forget to remind the Vietnamese to keep their feet on the ground to best prepare for the remainder of the campaign.

“We still have two more matches ahead. Vietnam will not be immersed in victory. Stronger efforts are required in order to win the next game.”

Explaining Vietnam’s brilliant second-half display, the Korean coach said: “We had aimed for the full three points, so I switched the formation from 3-4-3 to 3-5-2 and asked the players to produce more shots from medium distance. They did that very well. In addition, I carefully studied Indonesia’s set-pieces, and this worked.”

Despite claiming a resounding victory, Vietnam also suffered significant loss with the injuries of Nguyen Tuan Anh and Nguyen Van Toan. Meanwhile, midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai received two yellow cards and will be suspended for the next match against Malaysia.

Admitting the disadvantage from the absence of Quang Hai, Park stated that the coaching staff have prepared good plans, and there are always two options for each position. “Quang Hai’s suspension will allow him to recharge energy and get fully fit for the UAE clash, towards the best result with the whole team.”

When asked about forward Nguyen Tien Linh’s display, the Korean tactician praised the forward’s scoring instinct, which, he said, had been clearly shown during the Indonesia game.

“I believe that Tien Linh will continue to display his instinct in the next match,” Park said.

Speaking at the press conference, midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai affirmed that it was a well-deserved victory for the Vietnamese team. “We would like to dedicate this triumph to all the Vietnamese people who always follow and encourage the team. This will be a huge source of motivation for us to prepare for the next matches.”

Midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai speaks at the press conference. (Photo: VFF)

The resounding win against Indonesia has helped Park’s troops hold on to the top spot in Group G with 14 points, two clear of the UAE and five above Thailand. Next up for them will be a clash against Malaysia at Maktoum Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Stadium (Dubai) on June 11.