Before the smoke had cleared from the warm-up match in which China defeated Vietnam 2-0, Vietnamese media outlet vnexpress was quick to speak out, bluntly pointing out that China's performance was poor, with only 37 percent possession and three shots on goal. ! [Match Photos](https://www.ballti.com/UploadFiles/163img/202310/2023161452810110346303213.jpg) The headline reads "Vietnam lose to China despite playing fewer matches", while the subtitle describes the 0-2 defeat of the Troussier-coached team in a friendly match, in which player Nguyen Kim Linh was shown a red card. The article begins by comparing the international rankings of the two sides, with China ranked 80th, 15 places above Vietnam, and the home team having two naturalized players. The article then points out the current challenges facing the Chinese team, saying that despite being a warm-up match, it is seen as a good opportunity to make up for the 1-3 defeat against Vietnam more than a year ago. The Vietnamese media showed an explosive change in their assessment of the match. At first, they praised the Vietnamese team for having 65 percent of the ball in the first half, then mentioned that the Vietnamese team was confident in the second half, creating many unexpected attacks. The game also took a key turn when Wang Thu Minh's goal broke the deadlock and Nguyen Kim Linh was sent off with a red card in the 89th minute. Despite Vietnam's numerical disadvantage, the Chinese team continued to play with ease, with Wu Lei's second goal generating buzz. One commented, "The Spaniard striker made his mark under the captain's armband despite a mediocre performance for most of the game." Jankovic's ecstatic post-match celebrations also attracted media attention, with some suggesting it reflected the importance of the win for them, despite statistics showing China's possession and shots on goal were fairly limited. The Vietnamese media were clearly unconvinced by the national soccer team's victory, arguing that Vietnam was superior in terms of the content of the game, but that China triumphed in terms of experience and chance taking. Both sides have their own strengths and can be considered equal! The second half was a disappointing one for the national soccer team, and Vietnam seemed to see the hope of turning the game around. However, with Jankovic's timely adjustments at halftime, the Chinese team managed to turn the situation around and disrupt the opponent's deployment. It is worth mentioning that for the Vietnamese player's red card, the Vietnamese international referee also confirmed the correctness of the decision.
