Vietnam Coach Beware Of Pratama Arhan's Long Loop Ahead Of The 2024 ASEAN Cup Duel

Pratama Arhan threw it inside against the Vietnam team (photo: dock. between)

JAKARTA The Vietnam national team coach, Kim Sang-sik, revealed that he paid special attention to the threat of Pratama Arhan's long throw ahead of the match against Indonesia in the third match of the ASEAN Cup 2024. The duel, which will take place at the Viet Tri Stadium, Sunday, December 15, is an important match for both teams to fight for the top position of the group.

In a pre-match press conference quoted from Vietnamese media, Bongda24h, Kim Sang-sik called Arhan's long throw as one of the frightening powers of the Garuda squad.

"We have watched the match between Indonesia and Pratama Arhan have the ability to throw the ball very well into the penalty box. This is a strong card for the Indonesian team," said Kim, Saturday, December 14.

Pratama Arhan's long-loop has become the main weapon of the Indonesian national team, especially when the open play scheme is difficult to penetrate the opponent's defense. In the ASEAN Cup 2024, the Suwon FC player has contributed to three of the four goals scored by Indonesia, all from the inside throw-in situation.

Since its debut in 2022, the defender who was born in Blora, Central Java, has recorded 10 assists or goals from remote throwing situations, including against major teams such as Japan and Vietnam.

"It is true that we have trained for such situations. We can score and win three points from the throw-in," said the captain of the Indonesian national team, Asnawi Mangkualam, who previously scored from Arhan's throw in the opening match against Myanmar.

Realizing the potential danger of Arhan's throw, Kim Sang-sik revealed that his squad had conducted special exercises to anticipate the situation.

"The whole team is ready, determined not to concede a goal in such a situation and will continue to grow," said the coach, who has only been in charge of Vietnam for seven months.

Kim is optimistic that the intense preparations made in the last few days will be able to reduce the threat of throwing away from the former PSIS Semarang player.

"We are confident in the strategy that has been prepared and hope to stop Indonesia's advantage in such a situation," he said.

The match between Vietnam and Indonesia is predicted to be fierce. Both teams are in the best performance in this tournament, winning equally in the first two matches. Pratama Arhan's long loop became one of Indonesia's flagship weapons to dismantle the opponent's defense, while Vietnam relied on a solid game organization under Kim Sang-sik's tutelage.

Victory in this match will not only increase the chances of qualifying for the semifinals, but also strengthen the position at the top of the group standings. It is interesting to see how Vietnam faces the threat from Arhan's far throw and how Indonesia responds to the anticipatory strategies that have been prepared by opponents.

Kickoff match will take place on Sunday 15 December night at the Viet Tri Stadium. Will Pratama Arhan's long throw again be a differentiator? We wait for exciting action on the field.