Though the Vietnamese national football squad lost the game against Frankfurt, Coach Henrique Calisto was satisfied with the performance of his players. Meanwhile, German coach Michael Skibbe spoke highly of Vietnam’s halfbacks, Thanh Luong and Quang Hai.

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Halfback Thanh Luong (white) in the friendly game on May 12.

The Vietnamese team played quite well in the first half, but its goal was broken twice within only one minute in the second half.

Speaking after the match, Calisto said he was pleased with the efforts of his players. “Before the game, Vietnam lost many key players like Cong Vinh, Tai Em, Vu Phong and Minh Phuong. We played well in the first half, but lost our concentration in the second half. That’s the reason for the second goal for Frankfurt,” the coach explained.

“Frankfurt is a strong team, with many members on the national squad. They faced disadvantages from the hot weather, so their policy was playing slowly and waiting for opportunities to score. The German team was successful with that strategy. Anyway, I’m pleased with the performance of my team,” he added.

Calisto also disclosed upcoming plans. “Thanh Luong, Trong Hoang and Quang Hai are young players. They needed this game to prepare for future big games. I also want to give more chances to these three players who have never joined the national squad. Some major players like Minh Duc, Nhu Thanh and Tan Tai also played well.”

“I plan to make a list of 40 people, including ten young players. The national squad needs the combination of two groups of players to build a strong team for ASIAD and AFF Cup this year. I will hold some tests in the coming time,” he revealed.

Frankfurt’s coach Michael Skibble commented that the Vietnamese team played well and he was impressed by halfbacks Thanh Luong and Quang Hai.

“We made a long trip to Vietnam with the highest determination to win. We overcame weather difficulties to realize it with two goals,” he remarked.

PV