Coach Philippe Troussier focused a significant part of the training session on March 20th on defending against aerial balls and transitioning from defense to attack, in preparation for the upcoming match against Indonesia in the World Cup 2026 qualifiers.
Due to concerns about preserving the quality of the pitch for the match, Vietnam was not allowed to train on the main Bung Karno Stadium field. Instead, after briefly walking on the pitch to get a feel for the environment, the team moved to a nearby training ground to start their session at 7:30 PM.
The Vietnamese team’s training could not be completely closed to the public due to the location of the training ground. As a result, Coach Troussier did not reveal his full team lineup or conduct full-sided scrimmages. He spent considerable time instructing the defense and midfielders on how to block aerial balls into the penalty area. Given Indonesia’s advantage with several tall, naturalized players, aerial play is expected to be a key tactic for them. Vietnam previously struggled with aerial balls from Iraq in the last World Cup 2026 qualifier, conceding a goal in stoppage time.
After this, the team practiced transitioning from defense to attack, focusing on calm ball handling and coordinated play rather than long balls forward. Since taking over the Vietnam national team, Coach Troussier has shifted from a defensive-counterattacking style to a more possession-oriented approach, emphasizing short passes and organized attacks.
Coach Troussier and the Vietnam team are keen to improve upon their recent 0-1 loss to Indonesia at the Asian Cup in January. He believes they have learned valuable lessons for a better performance in the upcoming World Cup 2026 qualifiers. The first leg between Indonesia and Vietnam is scheduled for 8:30 PM on March 21st at Bung Karno Stadium, with the return leg taking place five days later at My Dinh Stadium.
Indonesia holds the initial advantage, not only playing at home with the enthusiastic support of nearly 80,000 fans but also having strengthened their squad with several European naturalized players. Conversely, Vietnam will not be at full strength due to the absence of key players like goalkeeper Dang Van Lam, center-back Que Ngoc Hai, full-back Doan Van Hau, midfielder Nguyen Tuan Anh, and forwards Pham Tuan Hai and Nguyen Cong Phuong, all sidelined due to injuries.
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