Strengthening long-range defense for U.22 Vietnam

The appearance of overseas Vietnamese midfielder Viktor Le helps solve many problems for the Vietnam U.22 team. This player is in good form for the Ha Tinh team in the V-League 2024-2025. He contributed to helping Ha Tinh play solidly, becoming the hardest team to beat in the domestic tournament.

Photo: MINH TU

Playing in the central midfield position, Viktor Le proved to be effective in one-on-one duels, useful in defending from a distance for the home team. This player seems to play quite simply, but this is what people need in a holding midfielder. The simpler this type of midfielder plays, the safer the home team's defense.

Compared to other midfielders playing in the same position, Viktor Le has a slight advantage in terms of physique. This Vietnamese-Russian player is 1.78 m tall, has the advantage in the ability to shield the ball and the ability to collide with opposing players.

Also in this position, the U.22 Vietnam team has two more players, one is midfielder Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong (HCMC Club, 1.73 m) and the other is Nguyen Thai Son (Thanh Hoa, 1.71 m). Nguyen Thai Son is temporarily busy with the national team. However, both Thai Son and Quoc Cuong have not been highly rated for their ability to compete, mainly due to their physical disadvantages.

Launch pad for attack

With Viktor Le in charge of defense, the attacking midfielders of U.22 Vietnam such as Nguyen Van Truong (Hanoi FC), Khuat Van Khang (The Cong Viettel), Dinh Xuan Tien (SLNA), Nguyen Phi Hoang (SHB Da Nang) will be free to rush forward, supporting the strikers in the attack phase for the U.22 Vietnam team.

Photo: NGOC DUONG

Among them, Nguyen Van Truong and Khuat Van Khang are the ones who receive the most expectations. Both players mentioned above are skilled and have international experience playing for the U.23 team and the Vietnam national team last year.

They can lead the team's attacking play under coach Kim Sang-sik in the SEA Games campaign. Previously, many people were concerned that the U.22 Vietnam team would be unbalanced, because the team has many players who play with a technical approach, but lacks players with good physique, who can use their muscles when needed.

Currently, that worry has been significantly reduced. Particularly in the midfield, the area where the U.22 Vietnam team has the highest harmony: defensive players play very simply, focusing on defending from a distance (Viktor Le), offensive players are creative, good at dribbling, passing, shooting, and free kicks (Van Truong, Van Khang).

At the 32nd SEA Games in 2023, when coach Philippe Troussier's team was eliminated from the semi-finals of the men's football event by Indonesia, this harmony was not in Troussier's hands. Hopefully, when the personnel situation in the Vietnam U.22 team has positive changes, coach Kim Sang-sik's team will make a big change in terms of achievements for Vietnamese football at the 33rd SEA Games, taking place at the end of this year.