Vietnam-South Korea Friendly Match: A Stepping Stone for National Teams

In the context of Vietnamese football looking for momentum after recent setbacks in regional competitions, the friendly match against South Korea held at the beginning of March 2026 in Hanoi brought many surprises. Under the guidance of coach Park Hang Seo, the Vietnam national team showed high fighting spirit and ended the match with a 2-2 draw. This is a result that many fans have been waiting for for many years after a victory against an Asian power. According to data from VFF, the match attracted more than 25,000 spectators, proving that the popularity of Vietnamese football is still intact despite the national team's performance not yet exploding. The analysis of the match shows that Vietnam's attacking line with players like Nguyen Van Toan and Pham Van Manh created many dangerous counterattacks. Toan scored in the 18th and 72nd minutes, while Manh also contributed with a shot from outside the penalty area. South Korea then had a goal from Son Heung-min in the 45th minute and another from Hwang Hee-chan. The match was played at a high pace, full of drama, but also revealed weaknesses in defense. Based on my experience watching friendly matches over many years, I notice that Vietnamese teams often struggle when facing South Korea's high pressing style. Core insight from the match is about tactical changes. Vietnam has applied higher pressing than previous matches, forcing South Korea to play counterattacks. However, in the second half, South Korea made substitutions and regained control. According to data from sites like Sofascore, Vietnam had 42% possession time, but South Korea executed 18 shots on target compared to 9 from Vietnam. This shows that while pressing was effective in the first half, Vietnam's defense still had gaps in the second half. Contrarian angle: Many people may think that a draw is a good result for Vietnam, but in reality, this could be a blind spot. Why? Because South Korea is preparing for major tournaments like the Asian Cup, and playing a draw against Vietnam helps them maintain rhythm. Meanwhile, Vietnam may become complacent after this draw, leading to pressure in important matches later. I have seen many Vietnamese teams become complacent after friendlies and then collapse in major competitions. In 2026, when competitions were disrupted, many Vietnamese players lacked competition, leading to injuries and loss of form. Similarly, this friendly match may not provide real momentum if continuous improvement is not made. Takeaway: This friendly match is a lesson for Vietnam that defense needs to be improved and the advantage of pressing needs to be exploited to avoid repeating mistakes in regional competitions. With the AFF Cup approaching, Vietnam needs to prepare more carefully. I believe that if the team can maintain focus, they can achieve better results.