Dinh Bac seals three points as Vietnam extend unbeaten run: Three debutants open a new path for Kim Sang Sik

In the 25th minute, Dinh Bac collected the ball inside the box and finished cleanly. The only goal of Vietnam's opening match came from a move that had appeared to be running into a dead end: Thanh Long slipped a through ball, Williams Minh Hoang accelerated down the right flank and whipped a low cross into the five-metre area. The ball struck a Philippine defender's back, changed direction, and Dinh Bac was there on time to beat goalkeeper Falkesgaard.

Three points for Vietnam. The unbeaten run extended to 27 matches. A perfect start in terms of result, and that is almost the only thing that can be asserted without further evidence.

I watched the footage of the match twice before writing these lines. The first time to catch the rhythm, the second to freeze-frame every transition. That habit was formed during my years producing transfer bulletins at Radio France Bleu, where a small mistake was enough to keep the switchboard hot all night. France Bleu taught me one thing: unverified, unbroadcast.

The pre-match context matters no less than what happened on the pitch. Kim Sang Sik entered the tournament with a squad worn down by a packed schedule. Nguyen Xuan Son was injured and left the tournament early, taking away the most familiar spearhead of the attack. Several other key players carried the after-effects of a long season. The coach was forced to look for solutions outside the group he has rotated through for the past two years.

The Philippines started with an assertive approach, accepting spells without the ball but ready to push high whenever Vietnam touched the ball in their own half. This team lacks a sufficiently cold-blooded finisher, and that is why they left the pitch empty-handed.

The problem after the opening goal

After the 25th minute, Vietnam dropped deep. The back line lowered the block, the midfield could not keep up with the ball, and the gap between the two lines opened up for the Philippines' central combinations. Sustained pressure produced errors: a few under-hit back passes, a few duels lost by half a step, a few dangerous free kicks in front of the box.

A low defensive block produces a familiar paradox: the team looks more solid in its own half but cuts off every counter-attacking route. With eight or nine players behind the ball, the lone striker has no option but to chase hopeless long passes. Dinh Bac and those around him were constantly contesting duels one against two, one against three.

Possession percentage is the most deceptive metric in modern football. A team can hold 60% of the ball with meaningless sideways passes in its own half without creating any genuine threat. Vietnam in the second half sat on the opposite side of the same problem: less of the ball, and when they had it, too few players to do anything with it. Both cases point to a single issue — how does a team control a game once the scoreline belongs to it?

Vietnam kept the three points thanks to three factors beyond Kim Sang Sik's control. The Philippines finished without sharpness. One shot found the crossbar. And Patrik Le Giang produced the match of his life, with saves that preserved the scoreline at exactly the moments when an equaliser was entirely possible. The insider is not the person who knows the most, but the one who stays calmest when everything collapses.

Three debutants and their real value

Adou Minh went straight into the starting line-up alongside Viet Anh and Xuan Manh. The CAHN centre-back impressed with his reading of situations, composure and strength in challenges. He contributed substantially to the clean sheet in a match where the defence came under constant pressure.

Khoa Ngo came on in the 70th minute and brought a new threat down the attacking flank. His pace and boldness forced the Philippines to be more cautious in the closing minutes, while opening another option for Kim as he looks to broaden the group of players he trusts.

The most decisive impression came from Williams Minh Hoang. The 19-year-old, born in 2026, collected Thanh Long's through ball, accelerated and crossed to create the only goal. The deflection off the Philippine defender's back carried an element of luck. Without it, the move might have ended differently. Even so, the pressure Vietnam generated and Hoang's contribution deserved a reward.

Few expected Kim to hand a starting place to a player with only a few national-team training sessions behind him. Hoang repaid that trust immediately, with intelligent movement, tidy technique and an ability to create chances. He also settled quickly into the team's style, combining smoothly with teammates he was playing alongside for the first time.

Standing 1.90 metres tall did not earn Hoang a role as a central striker. He played on the right, a calculated choice, because Xuan Son occupied the central position. Xuan Son's injury could make Hoang far more important for the rest of the tournament. The CA TP.HCM forward may be given added scoring responsibility alongside Dinh Bac.

Hoang's path has moved faster than expected. He needed only half a season to establish himself at club level, and a few sessions to convince the national-team staff. The decision to start him was based on genuine ability, not an attempt to rush his development.

The skill set of this player of Vietnamese and English heritage suits a future centre-forward role: pace, technique, strength, hold-up play and finishing. His game is simple and effective, with a European flavour, while his size is complemented by small, tidy and nimble touches.

One match is not enough to draw conclusions

At 46, I no longer chase breaking news; I chase verified truth. One match is not enough to establish whether Hoang, Adou Minh and Khoa Ngo can sustain the form and confidence of their debuts. What they offer is fresh possibility at a difficult moment — and for a coach who has spent a great deal of time rotating around a familiar group of personnel, that is no small gift.

The greatest value of this win lies not in the three points, but in the fact that it forces Kim Sang Sik to look at players outside his comfort zone. The ability to control a game after taking the lead remains unanswered, and the match against Thailand will test that more clearly than any analysis. Whether Hoang can fill Xuan Son's role remains open, but he has already shown the potential to be a long-term option.

Beyond three points, that match revealed new choices. For a national team trying to renew itself without losing its foundations, that may be the most valuable thing gained from an evening when the scoreline looked better than the performance.