On the morning of January 24, the Vietnamese team practiced physical training at the hotel gym. Notably, midfielder Nguyen Dinh Bac returned to practice as usual.
The Nghe An player made his mark in the opening match against Japan with a header that equalized the score at 1-1. At the same time, Dinh Bac played confidently, showing his mettle despite experiencing the Asian Cup for the first time. However, this player suffered a muscle injury and was absent from the match against Indonesia.
Nguyen Dinh Bac returned to normal training.
The Vietnamese team received good news about Dinh Bac but are still waiting for the recovery progress of Pham Tuan Hai and Nguyen Van Tung. The two Hanoi FC players were injured in the second match and are currently recovering with the support of doctors and physiotherapists.
After two rounds, the Vietnamese team is at the bottom of the table and is certain to be eliminated. Losing to Japan and Indonesia means that the chance of advancing is gone, regardless of beating Iraq in the final round. However, coach Philippe Troussier and his players are determined to play their best to bring home the best result against the West Asian representative.
Pham Tuan Hai needs more time to recover.
Coach Philippe Troussier gave words of encouragement and motivation to the entire team. He said that despite being 70 years old and having everything, he still maintains the motivation to work and contribute to Vietnamese football. He hopes that his students will continue to strive in the most energetic period of their lives, regardless of the circumstances, to develop themselves and turn their aspirations into reality.
Before the match, striker Pham Tuan Hai shared: “We all tried our best but the results were not as expected. We are still trying to improve every day, to better meet the playing style that head coach Philippe Troussier is building for the team. Hopefully, the fans will give the team their trust and support not only through one match but also throughout the process, because we are still on the way to getting closer to the level of top continental football .”
The Vietnamese team has 2 days to prepare for the match with Iraq. A favorable result in this match will lift their spirits and regain the highest confidence to look forward to the rematches with Indonesia and Iraq in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in March and June.
In their last meeting, Iraq defeated Vietnam at My Dinh Stadium last November, thanks to the only goal by striker Mohanad Ali. The next match will take place at 6:30 p.m. on January 24 at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium.
Van Hai
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