The afternoon training session was held at RBAC University Stadium, approximately 7 km from the Rajamanga National Stadium, where the matches are played, and 9 km from The Quarter Ramkhamhaeng by UHG hotel.

To foster a cheerful environment, coach Kim actively engaged in playing football and interacting with his players. This was an unusual sight, as the Korean coach typically maintains a serious demeanor during training sessions.

Few current Vietnamese players possess the skill level of coach Kim. He was a renowned defensive midfielder in Korean history, a contemporary of legends such as Lee Young-pyo, Ahn Jung-hwan, Cha Du-ri, and Park Ji-sung. During his playing career, Kim earned 60 caps for the Korean national team, participated in the 2006 World Cup, and secured third place twice at the Asian Cup in 2000 and 2007. At club level, he appeared in 458 matches, scoring 19 goals and providing 17 assists for three domestic clubs: Seongnam (1999-2008), Gwangju Sangmu (2003-2004), and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (2009-2013).

Striker Nguyen Quoc Viet shared before the session that the team's morale remained high after the opening match, despite some regret about not converting more scoring opportunities. "Coach Kim encouraged us, emphasizing that the first match is always challenging, so securing three points fulfills our objective," he stated.

Quoc Viet, 22, honed his skills at the Nutifood JMG training academy before joining HAGL and later Ninh Binh. He was a prolific scorer in youth competitions, winning the U23 Southeast Asian Championship with the U23 team in 2022, 2023, and 2025, and earning a bronze medal at SEA Games 32. Yesterday, Quoc Viet performed actively but failed to score. He nearly became a "culprit" when he was caught offside during Nguyen Dinh Bac's goal. "As the tournament lacks VAR, we could only protest to the referees. We didn't expect the referee to reverse the decision," he recalled.

Players from yesterday's starting lineup primarily engaged in light jogging and stretching, rather than specialized drills. The sole absence is Nguyen Xuan Bac, who sustained an injury and exited the field at the end of the first half. The PVF-CAND midfielder remained at the hotel for individual training, with recovery anticipated in time for the crucial match against Malaysia.

Reserve players subsequently engaged in specialized drills. Coach Kim concentrated on practicing wing play and delivering crosses into the penalty area for strikers to capitalize on.

The 48-year-old coach acknowledged that Vietnam's primary weakness lies in finishing, even though the team generates numerous scoring chances per match. Consequently, he and his staff consistently work to address this issue during training.

The team is scheduled for seven more training sessions to finalize their squad before their pivotal match against Malaysia on 11/12, which will determine the group winner. This year's regulations state that the top three group winners and the best second-placed team will qualify for the semifinals.

Duc Dong