In-depth Analysis
U22 Vietnam’s “opening opponent” in their debut match is U22 China – a team that frequently organizes international friendlies to gain experience and improve their level. Back in June, U22 China also participated in similar warm-up matches. It is likely that coach Antonio Puche Vicente does not have his strongest squad for this November training camp. Among the 30 players, most are between 20 and 22 years old, with only one player competing abroad: midfielder Wang Bohao of Dutch club Den Bosch. The rest play for domestic clubs.
Meanwhile, U22 Vietnam brings nearly their strongest lineup as SEA Games 33 approaches. Participating in the international friendly tournament in China is a valuable opportunity for the interim coach Đinh Hồng Vinh and his players to enhance technical skills, test tactics, and refine the squad. All three opponents in the tournament are highly rated, some even stronger than U22 Vietnam, providing a chance to gauge the team’s true strength ahead of the Games.
Despite limited preparation time — with 20 players arriving in China only on November 10, leaving just one day for joint training, while players from Hanoi, CAHN, and Hà Tĩnh arrived even later — team cohesion is not a major issue. Most of the current squad have trained together in recent camps, gaining solid experience and match composure, especially key players like Văn Khang, Hiểu Minh, Quốc Việt, and Phi Hoàng. With mutual understanding and coordination across positions, U22 Vietnam is expected to demonstrate fighting spirit and unity in their first “test fire” match against host U22 China.