Philippe Troussier will draw inspiration from Japan’s success at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 when he leads Vietnam against his old employers in the nations’ intriguing Group D opener in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023 on Sunday.
The Frenchman led the Japanese to the AFC Asian Cup title in Lebanon in 2000 but will go head-to-head against the Samurai Blue for the first time at Al Thumama Stadium aiming to do to what Hajime Moriyasu’s side did against Germany and Spain a little over a year ago.
Japan handed the European duo surprise defeats in the group phase of the FIFA World Cup to progress to the knockout rounds and Troussier hopes to use those performances as a template as his current team eye a place in the Round of 16.
“It’s important to be reactive, to disturb them, to destroy them, to cut the line between them, to make them know we can be aggressive and maybe to make trouble to the work of this team, like Japan made big trouble against Germany,” Troussier said.
“(Spain lost) not because Japan was better, Japan destroyed them and it’s clear we are in this position.”The nations met at the quarter-final stage of the last AFC Asian Cup, with Japan handing the Vietnamese a 1-0 defeat after the Southeast Asians had secured their place in the knockout rounds by the slimmest of margins.
Then coached by Park Hang-seo, Vietnam took a slot in the last 16 by virtue of their fair play record in the group phase and Troussier believes his team’s fate could also be determined by factors beyond how many points his side can amass.
“It’s clear regarding the process to qualify, it’s clear that the goal difference will be a point, as the fair play was a point four years ago,” he said. “When you have a team like Japan in your group and you know the best three will qualify, it’s clear goal difference must be a very important point. But to be reactive doesn’t mean that 100 percent we will not have the ball. It’s clear that many matches can be won with only 10 percent of the ball or 20 or 30 percent. That’s why we have to take any opportunity at any time, to take our chance.”
Moriyasu confirmed Kaoru Mitoma will not start against Vietnam as he continues to recover from an ankle injury sustained in the Premier League last month and that the Brighton & Hove Albion winger will be assessed ahead of the second group game against Iraq.
The Japan coach took his nation to the 2019 final and he will be looking to manage his squad as best as possible as he attempts to go one step further in 2023.
“Mr. Troussier is the former coach of Japan and he knows Japanese football well,” said Moriyasu. “I’m sure he’s done a lot of analysis of our team but we have done a lot of analysis of their team too. My coaching staff have been working hard on this.
“It will be a very good game, but we have to have balance between being aggressive and also be cautious of their attack as well.
“We have seven matches if we go to the final so we have to take each match by itself and I think all our players will be participating as a team. We have to think about the seven matches in total.”
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FACT BOX
JAPANFIFA Ranking: 17
Best finish: Champions (1992, 2000, 2004, 2011)
Coach: Hajime Moriyasu
Prospects: Japan were outstanding in 2023 and have lost only one game since their round of 16 exit at the 2022 World Cup with wins over Germany, Canada and Turkiye in recent months.
The highest-ranked team in the competition, Japan boast a side filled with players competing in Europe’s top leagues and are favourites for a record-extending fifth title.
VIETNAMFIFA Ranking: 94
Best finish: Quarter-finals (2007, 2019)
Coach: P Troussier (France)
Prospects: Weakened by a series of injuries to key players, Vietnam are likely to find it difficult to get out of a tough group in Qatar and replicate their run to the last eight in 2019.
They will, however, fancy their chances of recording a win in their penultimate group match against Indonesia, who they defeated in the semi-finals of the Asean Championship last year.