Does U.22 Vietnam have any experienced central defenders playing in the V-League?
In the 2024-2025 season, HAGL is the team with the most annoying defensive counter-attacking style of play. In this system, Pham Ly Duc, who grew up in the training center of the mountain town team, is one of the important links. The number of 990 minutes on the field in 11 matches clearly shows this. With a height of 1.82 m and a rather "thick" body, this central defender is truly a tough opponent for the attacking players in the V-League. In addition, Ly Duc's always fiery fighting spirit is also a plus point, a "weapon" for him to be able to win a place at the 33rd SEA Games with the Vietnam U.22 team.
Pham Ly Duc is a "warrior" of HAGL, he has scored 1 goal in V-League this season.
Nhat Minh (right) and U.19 Vietnam won the international U.19 friendly tournament organized by Thanh Nien Newspaper in 2022 in Binh Duong.
Another "product" of HAGL's academy that also plays very prominently in the V-League is central defender Nguyen Nhat Minh. Under the guidance of coach Chu Dinh Nghiem, the player born in 2003 has made remarkable progress, gradually becoming a pillar of Hai Phong Club. Out of 15 appearances in the 2023-2024 season, Nhat Minh has started 14 times. After 11 matches this season, he has also played 10 matches, starting 7 matches. It can be said that he is the most experienced central defender of the U.22 age group, has an intelligent playing style, is good at aerial combat and always plays confidently.
Among the group that has played a lot in the V-League is Le Nguyen Hoang of SLNA. Up to this point, he has played nearly 1,000 minutes in the highest tournament in Vietnam, although he is only 19 years old. In the context that SLNA has a force that is mainly young players, Nguyen Hoang still has many opportunities to compete from now until the 33rd SEA Games. Hopefully, he can accumulate more experience to become a pillar of the U.22 Vietnam team at the tournament in Thailand.
Born in 2005, Nguyen Hoang has played very maturely and is the U.23 Southeast Asian champion.
The hopes of the capital
Viettel The Cong Club regularly produces good central defenders. After Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Duc Chien, Nguyen Thanh Binh, now the army team has more potential players: Nguyen Manh Hung (born in 2005) and Dang Tuan Phong (born in 2003).
Manh Hung is a talented young central defender who was highly appreciated by experts in Germany during the training trip with the Vietnam U.17 team. He and striker Hoang Minh Tien (HAGL) were retained for a week of intensive training at Eintracht Frankfurt. After that, Manh Hung played impressively at the 2023 U.20 Asian Cup, and gained experience at Binh Phuoc Club in the 2023-2024 first division. This season, he was called back to The Cong Viettel Club by coach Nguyen Duc Thang. However, because the army team still has many good central defenders, the 19-year-old boy does not have many opportunities. However, he still has an advantage in competing for a position because he has played with the Vietnam U.20 players in many tournaments. Most of this generation of U.20 players will be important factors for the Vietnam U.22 team at the upcoming 33rd SEA Games.
Manh Hung (middle) and Minh Tien were kept in Germany to practice after having good performances.
Dang Tuan Phong (middle) learned from the experience of the good central defenders of The Cong Viettel Club.
PHOTO: THE CONG VIETTEL
Dang Tuan Phong is also one of the young players in coach Nguyen Duc Thang's plan. This central defender often comes on the field from the bench and always plays at an average level or better whenever given the opportunity. He is 1.78 m tall, not too outstanding compared to other central defenders in the V-League, but in return, he has the ability to read situations well, play smart and skillfully with his feet.
The remaining central defender from a training center in the capital is Nguyen Duc Anh. He grew up at Hanoi FC, has played more than 500 minutes in the V-League and is currently playing for Da Nang FC on loan. Coach Dinh The Nam once praised Duc Anh as a modern central defender, good at playing with his feet, able to attack quite well and possessing an impressive long-range shooting weapon. If coach Kim Sang-sik needs a left-footed left-sided central defender to easily launch attacks, Duc Anh is not a bad choice.
Duc Anh is good at long-range shots.
PHOTO: DONG NGUYEN KHANG
In general, the U.22 Vietnam team has many quality central defenders and each has their own competitive advantage. Coach Kim Sang-sik's job now is to observe and evaluate carefully to be able to choose the most optimal trio of central defenders for the journey to win the gold medal at the 33rd SEA Games. The more young and talented players there are, the more opportunities Mr. Kim has to choose talented people for U.22 Vietnam.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/canh-tranh-nay-lua-o-vi-tri-trung-ve-doi-u22-viet-nam-thay-kim-khoai-chi-185250202114532939.htm
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