Tonight, the National Football Team (NFF) defeated Vietnam at home with a score of 2:0, realizing the revenge for the last away defeat in the World Qualification Tournament. Last year, the national soccer team lost 1:3 to Vietnam on the road in the World Qualification Tournament, a defeat that set a shameful record. For the first time in the history of Vietnamese soccer, the team won in the qualifying round of 12, while the national soccer team became the backdrop of this tragedy. Despite voices pointing out that Vietnam fielded younger players, we cannot ignore the fact that many of these players were already involved in the World Qualifiers last year. In this qualifying cycle, the rise of young players may eliminate some veterans. Although Vietnam's overall tactics still need to be honed, their young players will undoubtedly have a profound impact on the national soccer team's 2026 World Cup journey.
The match saw the national soccer team show intense athleticism in both the first and second halves. While the victory was certainly a joyous one, the performance of three players was so disappointing that fans called for their replacement. Had these new faces been activated in the preliminaries, the performance of the national soccer team might have been worse.
First up was captain Wu Xi. He had one of the worst performances of the match and was substituted after half time. Wu Xi's stats for the first half were eye-popping, with six of them being the most goals conceded by any player in the national soccer team. As the core of the defensive midfield, he was repeatedly frustrated in aerial confrontations, both offensively and defensively, and was unable to bring substantial help to the national football team, but instead created many opportunities for the Vietnamese team. It can be said that he is the biggest failure of the game, although he is still wearing the national team robes.
The other is veteran Tan Long. Though Tan Long has gotten older before being recognized by the national team, it is clear that his physical condition is no longer comparable to his peak. Despite his best efforts on the field, his role was not significant. Against Vietnam's young defenders, Tan Long had nothing to offer in the penalty area. His most threatening shots came from outside the box, which made him look a bit awkward. We expect Tan Long to play a bigger role in the box.
Finally, there was Fang Hao. His starting position surprised everyone, after all, he has been inconsistent in the Chinese Super League. On the side, the national soccer team has other excellent players, such as Beijing Guoan's Gao Tianyi and Wuhan's Wei Shihao, who have made more appearances and played more significant roles in the Chinese Super League. Obviously, Fang Hao's comprehensive ability has not yet reached the level of a national team starter.
The above three players, their level, competitive status and the attitude of some players, are no longer suitable for the national soccer team. Therefore, in the preliminaries, the national soccer team should decisively carry out reforms. This time, the national team list replaced nine players, and the effect is remarkable. In the future, this change will be more drastic, and the players who are not suitable for the national team will be eliminated.
