Coach Kim Sang Sik: 'Dinh Bac's competition with Xuan Son is good for the Vietnam national team'

The 4-0 win against Myanmar provided the Vietnam national team with a favorable run-in before the 2026 ASEAN Cup and also delivered numerous encouraging signs about the team's strength.

Coach Kim Sang Sik highly praised the competitive spirit of his players, affirming that the positional battle between Nguyen Dinh Bac and Nguyen Xuan Son will help enhance the quality of the attack, as the team now has many personnel options aimed at defending the Southeast Asian championship title.

Defeating Myanmar 4-0 in the final friendly match before the 2026 ASEAN Cup, the Vietnam national team delivered an impressive dress rehearsal. Not only satisfied with the result, Coach Kim Sang Sik also noted positive signals from new faces, especially the naturalized players and the attacking options.

Speaking after the match, Coach Kim Sang Sik said: "Xuan Son, Tai Loc, Le Giang Patrik, and Do Hoang Hen all completed their tasks well. The Vietnam national team has many options to prepare players to perform well at the 2026 ASEAN Cup. We will adjust tactics and improve fitness to deliver the best matches."

In this game, Nguyen Xuan Son opened the scoring but had to leave the pitch after encountering an issue in the final minutes. Sharing about the condition of the naturalized striker, Coach Kim Sang Sik stated: "In the 80th minute, he had a slight problem. Tomorrow, we will check on him again."

One of the notable highlights was the performance of Nguyen Dinh Bac. Brought on in the second half, the striker from Nghe An scored the goal that sealed the 4-0 victory. In several situations on the field, both Dinh Bac and Xuan Son showed great determination in seeking goals.

According to Coach Kim Sang Sik, this competition has a positive meaning for the Vietnam national team. He emphasized: "Both of them entered the pitch with a fighting spirit to give their all—that's a good thing. When we step into the upcoming ASEAN Cup, Vietnam will have quality combinations in the attack to achieve positive results."

Evaluating Dinh Bac individually, the 49-year-old coach continued to praise his student's progress: "Today, Dinh Bac came on to play as a wing-back. During the training camp in South Korea, I tested him in this position. Dinh Bac performed very well today and has the capability to take the field at any time. The coaching staff will find ways to help the players bond together."

The addition of naturalized players such as Nguyen Xuan Son, Nguyen Tai Loc, Do Hoang Hen, and Patrik Le Giang gives Coach Kim Sang Sik more personnel choices. This is considered one of the factors that significantly boosts the strength of the Vietnam national team ahead of their journey to defend the Southeast Asian crown.

Coach Kim Sang Sik affirmed: "Having quality players like this is increasing the quality of the Vietnam national team. As head coach, I must find a way to maximize the potential of that group of players."

After a successful warm-up match against Myanmar, the Vietnam national team will continue to refine their tactical patterns and physical foundation before officially entering the 2026 ASEAN Cup, where Coach Kim Sang Sik and his players aim to defend the championship title.