Star striker Cong Phuong will likely be in Vietnam’s starting line-up to face Thailand in the team’s last encounter in Group B later today in the men’s football (soccer) event at the 2015 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, a match with a double challenge for the two sides: to win and to avoid cards.
Vietnam have seven players booked with a yellow card each, five of whom are key players, including strikers Cong Phuong and Mac Hong Quan, defender Manh Hung, and midfielders Huy Toan and Ngoc Thang.
In the meantime, Thailand have six players booked with cards.
According to football regulations at the ongoing 2015 SEA Games in Singapore, players who are booked once with a yellow card in the group stage will have it nullified in the semifinals.
A common rule is that a player booked with two yellow cards in two consecutive matches will be suspended from playing the following game.
The Vietnam-Thailand game will take place at 7:30 pm today and be broadcast live on Vietnamese national TV channel VTV6.
Coach Toshiya Miura of Vietnam and Thai coach Choketawee Promrut said they want to win the ‘final game’ to top the group.
Earning 12 points each after four wins, Vietnam and Thailand have secured the top places to advance to the following round, but Vietnam have a better goal difference than Thailand, at 16/1 over 13/0.
“We haven’t decided on our starting line-up and our playing style yet,” said the Thai coach. “What we are sure of is that we must make the best preparation for the semifinals. We won’t want to suffer any more injuries or cards.
“We don’t know our rivals in the last four round yet.”
Group A is a race between three competitors, Myanmar, Indonesia and Singapore, for two tickets. The results will only be decided on Thursday.
Vietnam’s coach is more determined to seek victory because his side lost to Thailand in two recent encounters, 1-3 and 0-1.
“Thailand are the strongest rivals of Vietnam,” admitted Miura. “Vietnam must be very careful when playing them.”
Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper has predicted that the Vietnam line-up in the Thailand match today will include Cong Phuong and Thanh Binh in the front line; Duc Huy, Huy Hung, Duy Manh and Phi Son in midfield; Minh Tung, Ngoc Hai, Tien Dung, and Thanh Hien in the defensive line; and Minh Long as goalkeeper.
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