Victor Acosta, head coach of Vietnam’s Thai Son Bac, reflects on his team’s runner-up finish in the Vietnam League and analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of his squad.
1. You’ve just completed your third season coaching Thai Son Bac with a commendable league runner-up finish. What is your overall assessment of this third year?
After winning the Cup last season with great authority against the best team in the league (Thai Son Nam), this year the team has matured significantly. The young players have taken a big step forward, and with several of them joining the national team, there was already a sense of parity with TSN, and we came very close to winning the league. Last season we finished second with 31 points, and TSN had 39. This season both teams finished with 37 points. So, overall, the assessment is very positive, especially with such a young squad.
2. Tied on points with your main rival (Thai Son Nam) and finishing second due to goal difference. What do you think was missing to win the league title?
It came down to small details — better finishing and key moments. For example, in the second match against TSN, played on their court, we missed a 10-meter shot with 20 seconds left. If we had scored that goal, we would have been champions.
3. Your team had a great performance both in the league and the Vietnam Cup. What do you think were the team’s main strengths this season?
This season, the key was our strong high-press defense, and in attack, we managed to maintain more possession, allowing us to better select plays and scoring chances. Compared to last season, we scored 33% more goals and conceded 16% fewer.
4. Looking ahead to the near future, what goals have you set from a sporting perspective?
The immediate goal is to win the Vietnam Cup for the second time, which takes place from August 2 to 12 in Saigon. We are the team to beat, being the current champions. My contract ends in December, and if I renew, the next objective will be to go for the league title.
5. What do you think the team needs to achieve those goals?
If we can further improve our defense and, in attack, maintain possession while increasing finishing efficiency during transitions and offensive plays, we’ll be in a strong position. On set pieces, we already have the best success rate in the league. If we can match or improve these three aspects, I believe that’s the key to achieving our objectives.