Compared with the previous meeting, the Vietnam national football team approach their rematch against Malaysia national football team in the Asian Cup qualifiers with far greater grounds for optimism.

Several players have returned from injury.

New options have also emerged.

An abundance of choices

The first source of optimism comes from the group of U23 players who recently performed impressively on the continental stage.

According to expert assessments, at least a few names, alongside Van Khang and Dinh Bac, are capable of competing for places in the senior squad in the upcoming training camp.

In addition, newly naturalized players such as Hoang Hen and Phi Long have provided further valuable options for the Korean coach ahead of the Malaysia clash.

Beyond that, overseas Vietnamese players who have obtained citizenship, including Patrick Le Giang, and even Khoa Ngo, a very young prospect showing promise at CA TPHCM, could be tested by Kim Sang Sik.

Overall, Kim Sang Sik clearly has more resources at his disposal than before.

However, having many options does not automatically mean the solution is straightforward.

But it will not be easy

The biggest challenge for Kim Sang Sik lies in how to use and connect these resources within a limited preparation timeframe.

Unlike his time with the U23 team, which allowed for multiple training camps and extended tactical fine-tuning, or the build-up to the ASEAN Cup 2024 with a relatively favorable schedule, the Vietnam national team are now racing against the clock.

Even players with quality and potential need time to find a common rhythm.

Differences in playing habits, tactical thinking and match tempo are inevitable.

Assembling these pieces into a cohesive system and making it run smoothly in a short period is far from simple.

This situation is different from the case of Xuan Son, the Brazilian-born striker who operates in a role that often requires him to focus on one primary task: scoring goals.

Therefore, having “more capital” does not necessarily translate into an absolute advantage.

For Kim Sang Sik, the real challenge is not how many cards he holds, but which card to play at the right moment.

The match against Malaysia will be a true test of his ability to balance renewal and safety.

It will measure the fine line between the ambition to refresh the Vietnam national team and the need for pragmatism in a decisive encounter in the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.

Duy Nguyen