Vietnam faces upbeat Uzbeks in major home qualifier
The match is
crucial for both teams because the result could be a turning point in
their pursuit of a ticket to Australia in 2015.
For
Vietnam, a win is a prerequisite to keeping the country's million-to-one
chance alive, but for the Uzbeks, a victory will be a big step towards
securing a berth at the regional tournament next year.
Nguyen Van Sy was in an upbeat mood ahead of the match, saying that
his team was well prepared. "We are ready for tonight's match and all
our players are in high spirits and determined to take the game to our
opponents," he said.
"Uzbekistan are a strong team
and they are also determined to win the match, but playing in front of
home fans will drive us to get the best possible result," the
42-year-old coach said.
The United Arab Emirates top
the group with nine points after three wins, while Hong Kong and
Uzbekistan share second place on four points after one win, one draw and
one loss. Vietnam is bottom without a single point.
It is still mathematically possible for Vietnam to qualify for the
Asian Cup next year if they win their three remaining matches, including
the match on November 15 night.
Sy, however, is not
counting his chickens, and remains very down to earth. "Our immediate
task is to focus on one game at a time," the Nam Dinh province native
said.
Vietnam will welcome the return of midfielder
Le Tan Tai, who missed the away fixture through injury, while goalkeeper
Bui Tan Truong has been selected following a solid performance during
the BTV Cup. Tai promised he and his teammates will put up a strong
performance on November 15.
Despite playing away,
Uzbekistan's head coach Mirjalol Kashimov is extremely confident of a
win over Vietnam. "We had a long journey on November 13, but now we
have recovered. Our mood is excellent at the moment and we are all
focused on the game," he told reporters via an interpreter in the
pre-match news conference.
"I think Vietnam will
play on the counter-attacking game, but we go into the match as
favourites because we are a stronger team. I believe we will beat
Vietnam regardless of the fact that they are playing at home with
generous support from their fans," an upbeat Kashimov said.
He also emphasised the psychological importance of getting an early
goal. "We will try to get on the scoresheet first to put us in a better
position to win the match," he finished.-VNA