Midfielder Nguyen Vu Phong (17) charges for the ball past the supine Thailand captain Thonglao (7) inside Vietnam’s box in the first leg final of the 2008 AFF Suzuki Cup in Thailand on Wednesday.

A welcome spurt in skills and confidence is based on some important changes in style and approach.

They have proven to be much better in encounters against stronger rivals in Southeast Asia than before.

The improvement is especially marked by confidence. Twenty days ago, they were a mixed-up bunch in the clash against Thailand in Phuket that they lost by two goals to nil.

However, the Vietnamese players were in quite a different psychological state in the first leg of the final at Bangkok’s Rajamangala Stadium on Wednesday.

All the pressure may have been lifted off their shoulders after they reached the goal set by the Vietnam Football Federation of advancing to the semifinals.

What is more important, however, is that the players have learned essential lessons after every match.

They have been frequently encouraged by the enthusiasm and sharpness of Coach Hendrique Calisto in his strategies.

Despite being the guests, the Vietnamese players were calm and able to take the pressure from their opponents.

This can clearly be seen in the toughness displayed by the pair of central fullbacks Nhu Thanh and Phuoc Tu; the diligence of left fullback Quang Thanh and right fullback Viet Cuong and Quang Cuong; the safe play of midfielders Minh Chau and Tai Em; and the dynamism of striker Viet Thang and left winger Tan Tai.

Midfielder Vu Phong has brought his skills into play and striker Cong Vinh has been in good form again. Most importantly, Duong Hong Son has prove to be very sharp goalkeeper, making his teammates feel more confident.

The Vietnamese players have improved most in strategy. Calisto has often said he wanted to set up a special way of playing for the Vietnamese players so that they could be strong enough to fight Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia dispelling any confusion in terms of style.

The Portuguese coach’s belief and consistency has made the Vietnamese team more aware of the need to set up their own style of play.

Earlier, the Vietnamese players didn’t have a clear strategy. They either played attack or counterattack.

Now Calisto has formed a distinct style. When playing at home, they attack continuously with the whole team moving. When they play away, they play safe in their part of the field with strikers and midfielders supporting the defense when they don’t have the ball. Once they have the ball, they attack with 1-2 combinations, moving fast to create space for themselves and to sow confusion among the rivals. When necessary, they are able to slow down the pace of the game and rob opponents of their momentum.

To implement their game plans successfully, the players need to understand each-other well and work with each-other rather than showcase their personal skills.

Of course, they need more time to improve themselves strategically and physically, but the Vietnamese players have become a solid team.

A week in Singapore and Thailand gave us a chance to better understand Calisto. He is very close and helpful to his players outside the field but he can get angry easily when his players under-perform. His anger aims to push his players to perform better.

It is pleasing to see the Vietnamese team improve a lot, especially in two unforgettable wins away in Singapore and Bangkok.

The team has one more match, the second leg of the final at Hanoi’s My Dinh Stadium on Sunday, to prove their real progress.

Hopefully, Calisto and his players will make history for Vietnamese football.

By Quang Tuyen