There will be more at stake than just a place in the finals of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 for the Philippines and Vietnam where it will also be about the wiles and guiles of the two tacticians involved.

Well-travelled and well-known Sven Goran Eriksson of Sweden has injected a sense of practicality into the Philippines style of play while for Vietnam, they have added more spice into their game through the intensity of Park Hang-seo of South Korea.

And Hang-seo is savouring the opportunity to ‘play’ against a master tactician like Eriksson.

“Eriksson is well known throughout the world. And as a coach, I look forward to ‘playing’ against him,” said Hang-seo.

“I have followed his career with several teams and he is a world class coach. So it will be an interesting night for sure.

“For us, we have achieved our initial target which was to win the group. Now, it is time to win the semifinals next.”

To a question if the loss of several players for the Philippines will hand the advantage to Vietnam, Hang-seo said that it did not mattered much.

He said that the Philippines still have some good players and they have a different playing style as against the four teams Vietnam faced in the group stage.

“The Philippines have many good players with good physique,” added hang-seo.

“They have a variety of attacking style from the long pass to the counter attacks and also from the wings. We have to be prepared.”

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