Japanese Coach Confident About Vietnam U20 Ahead of Asian Tournament

Head Coach Okiyama Masahiko and forward Lưu Hoàng Vân are confident in the preparation of the Vietnam Women's U20 team for the training camp in China as well as the upcoming AFC Championship finals.

In an interview before this afternoon's training session on March 5th at the VFF Youth Training Center, Japanese coach Okiyama Masahiko stated: "The players are improving day by day and demonstrating a very serious training attitude.

There is healthy competition within the team for starting positions. The new players are not inferior and can understand the team's tactics and philosophy, creating a very good competitive environment."

Assessing the opponents in the upcoming finals, especially physically dominant teams like China, Coach Okiyama Masahiko noted that these are not only teams strong in height but also in speed, technique, and tactics.

Coach Okiyama Masahiko emphasized that the finals are completely different from the qualifiers, and the Vietnam Women's U20 team may need to focus more on defense. The whole team is gradually improving to prepare optimally for the upcoming matches.

Regarding the practice match against a youth men's team during training, Coach Okiyama Masahiko said the coaching staff set three main goals: helping players regain their match rhythm after a long break, getting accustomed to facing taller, stronger opponents, and verifying whether the training content from the past 10 days is effectively applied on the field.

Meanwhile, player Lưu Hoàng Vân said: "The preparation process is going very well. All players are focused and diligently executing the training plans set by the coaching staff.

I have also been striving to regain my best techniques and feel for the ball."

Lưu Hoàng Vân also believes the strength of the Vietnam Women's U20 team at present is better prepared compared to the qualifying stage.

"I will strive with the team to achieve the collective goal, and I also have personal goals to pursue," Hoàng Vân concluded the interview.