The Japanese team coach declares victory over Nam Dinh in the Asian Cup

Gamba Osaka’s coach Poyatos expresses high regard for Nam Dinh FC yet insists on overcoming them to secure the lead in the standings.

On the afternoon of October 22, Gamba Osaka and Thep Xanh Nam Dinh faced off in the match to decide the group leader at ACL Two. Both teams have 6 points after the first two rounds, but the Japanese side leads due to a better goal difference.

Speaking at the pre-match press conference, coach Poyatos showed great respect for coach Vu Hong Viet’s team: "They are a quality team, so I expect this to be a tough match, but we want to finish with a win."

"We cannot match their height and quality. We need to keep them as far away as possible to prevent them from getting close to our goal." Because Nam Dinh has strong individual skills and aerial ability, our goal is to circulate the ball and control the game in our half", the strategist added.

Meanwhile, striker Makoto Mitsuta, who previously faced Nam Dinh as a Hiroshima player, shared:

"They have strong and physically fit players. If we don’t pass the ball well and tire them out, their strengths will become obvious."

"The loss to Kashiwa was disappointing, but on the other hand, we have to keep moving forward. After that match, we will host Nam Dinh at home, so this will be a good chance to regain our spirit,"Mitsuta added.

On the other side, coach Vu Hong Viet also affirmed that he will strive to achieve the best result in this match.

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