December 11, 2004

Vietnam Brazilian coach Edson Tavares & Indonesia English coach Peter Withe claimed there is no chance both teams would play to a draw as the winner of the Group A clash is all but guaranteed a place in the semi-finals of the Tiger Cup.

There had been many suggestions that both countries would do a Sweden-Denmark match in Euro 2004 & played to a high scoring draw thus ensuring they qualified comfortably.

Indonesia coach Peter Withe rebut that saying his team do want to take the risk of having to depend on goal-difference to ensure they qualified for the Tiger Cup semi-final as their last match is on December 11 in 2 days time against Cambodia while both Vietnam & Singapore last match is on December 13 respectively against Laos & Cambodia.

In such a case his team is at a handicapped as both Vietnam & Singapore would now what they need to do to qualify so he is demanding his team go out for the win

His counterpart Edson Tavares also do not expect himself or his team to play for a draw as it would be unacceptable for this football-crazy country as it people always craves for a win in every match. Also as a Brazilian, who hails from Rio de Janeiro, he is a keen advocate of the beautiful game & will not seek to play any defensive football to carve out a draw as 1 point is no guarantee to confirm Vietnam berth into the semi-finals.

Worse for him is that if he believed if he take the defensive route he will play into Indonesia hands as he knows that Indonesia’s strength lies in their ability to attack & with his own defence not the best in the region it would be foolish to invite them to do so as he had seem the Indonesians coming down the flanks tearing away at other team defence.

But to others he could copy Singapore style of play that had denied Alie Aboy & Boas Salossa space in which to operate.

The Brazilian though is conscious that copying Singapore’s pressing style may not be so effective at the National Stadium where the pitch is significantly larger than the Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Ci Minh City.

 

 

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