Vietnam team renews midfield

The central midfield position is where coach Kim Sang-sik has experimented and rotated the most since taking charge of the Vietnamese team.

The Korean coach has calculated many solutions such as Nguyen Quang Hai, Do Hung Dung, Nguyen Van Truong, Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Thai Son, Doan Ngoc Tan... before finalizing the midfielder pair Hoang Duc - Ngoc Tan for AFF Cup 2024.

Ngoc Tan shone with his aggressive and brave sweeping style of play, covering the back so that Hoang Duc and the Vietnamese team's attackers could confidently charge to the "front line".

PHOTO: NGOC LINH

However, Ngoc Tan's injury at Thanh Hoa Club forced coach Kim Sang-sik to reconsider. During the Vietnam national team training session in March, he gave Vo Hoang Minh Khoa a chance. The midfielder, born in 2001, has played 20 matches in the V-League this season (started 17 matches, played 1,490 minutes), scored 3 goals and made his mark with his aggressive, comprehensive playing style.

Minh Khoa is among the top players in the Binh Duong Club who pass the ball forward, pass accurately, and create high chances. In Vietnam's 5-0 victory over Laos, Minh Khoa started and performed well, earning praise from coach Kim Sang-sik.

However, coach Kim Sang-sik cannot rely solely on Minh Khoa as a replacement for Ngoc Tan. The match against Malaysia on June 10 is expected to be fierce, especially in the midfield when the Bukit Jalil team is naturalizing a series of good players. Malaysia's muscular, fearless playing style will entail a fierce physical battle. The challenge for Minh Khoa and Hoang Duc will be much more difficult, compared to the easy "practice sessions" against Laos or Cambodia.

Coach Kim Sang-sik needs a more experienced and quality midfield.

Huu Thang, Hoang Anh and more

Midfielder Nguyen Huu Thang is emerging as a strong candidate for a place in the Vietnam national team. The player born in 2000 played for the U.23, U.19 and U.16 Vietnam teams for 6 years (2016 - 2022), however, when he left the youth stage, Huu Thang had a period of decline.

PHOTO: MINH TU

Limited physique (only 1.68 m tall) and physical strength caused the potential seed of The Cong Viettel to gradually sink into oblivion. He was friends with the bench, only starting 21 matches in the V-League in the period 2021 - 2024. That was a big regret for the young star who was once praised by many coaches, but now is just a "substitute in and out" option.

However, the appearance of coach Velizar Popov can help Huu Thang's career turn a new page. Mr. Popov once confided that The Cong Viettel had a treasure but did not know how to fully utilize it, that was Huu Thang. The Bulgarian coach convinced Huu Thang to come to Thanh Hoa to help the 25-year-old player rebuild his career, but The Cong Viettel did not let him go. Only when Popov came to The Cong Viettel did he have the opportunity to coach the precious gem whose glory he had recognized 6 years ago.

Responding to Coach Popov's trust, Huu Thang shone in his debut match with a double against Da Nang (The Cong Viettel won 6-0), in which the long-range shot to increase the score to 3-0 was a masterpiece. Before that, Huu Thang had scored from the middle of the field against Quang Nam, or jumped high to head the ball into Ha Tinh's net despite being the shortest player on the field.

Huu Thang's return efforts and the talent of coach Popov promise to help the 25-year-old midfielder get closer to the selection threshold. He has what coach Kim Sang-sik needs: excellent tactical vision, a unique and flexible left foot, providing passes and shots with great damage.

Besides Huu Thang, there is also midfielder Ly Cong Hoang Anh. The player born in 1999 was the core of Ha Tinh's midfield in the V-League in the 2020 - 2021 period and had a "floating" period in Binh Dinh. It was not until he returned to Nam Dinh from the 2023 - 2024 season that Hoang Anh's talent was truly elevated. Hoang Anh's ability to fight one-on-one, compete strongly, and firmly, along with his unexpected penetration into the penalty area to score goals (2 goals in the last 2 matches) could help Hoang Anh receive the opportunity from Mr. Kim.

And Duc Chien, or old names like Minh Khoa, Hoang Duc... will bring fighting power to the midfield of the Vietnamese team.