Coach Troussier is waiting for Hoang Duc to recover, not yet removed from the Vietnam team

According to VTC News, midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc is still included in the list of 30 players of the Vietnam team participating in the 2023 Asian Cup. This list was sent by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) before today (January 4).

Hoang Duc has not recovered from his injury. He has swelling of the anterior and posterior tibiotalar ligaments, posterior talofibular ligament, and soft tissue swelling of the left ankle. The injury is not serious, Hoang Duc needs 2 weeks of rest to be able to train normally. Although there is not much time left to prepare, Coach Troussier still decided to patiently wait for the midfielder of The Cong Viettel to recover.

Hoang Duc still goes to Qatar with the Vietnamese team.

According to the doctors' diagnosis, Nguyen Hoang Duc is able to enter the field from the second match of the group stage against the Indonesian team on January 19. In the opening match against the Japanese team, the midfielder born in 1998 was not able to play.

Although he did not play in the last 2 matches, Hoang Duc is still in coach Troussier's plan. The French coach still wants to find a way to use this midfielder because his ability is undeniable. Therefore, Hoang Duc's injury is still a significant loss for the Vietnamese team.

Coach Troussier is facing an unprecedented storm of injuries since leading the Vietnamese team. A series of important players such as Que Ngoc Hai, Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Thanh Chung, Dang Van Lam, and Doan Van Hau cannot go to Qatar due to various injuries. Just 4 years ago, these players were the pillars that brought many successes to the Vietnamese team at the 2023 Asian Cup.

The most experienced central defender that Coach Troussier has at his disposal is Do Duy Manh. However, the star born in 1996 has only recently recovered from an injury. At the beginning of this training period, Duy Manh still has to practice recovery and physical therapy with Nguyen Tuan Anh.

Thus, the defense of the Vietnam team can play with players aged 24 and under, namely Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Nguyen Thanh Binh and Phan Tuan Tai. It is not impossible that Coach Troussier will have to take risks with young defensive players.

At the 2023 Asian Cup, the Vietnamese team is in the same group with Japan, Indonesia and Iraq. Coach Troussier and his team will play their first match against the Japanese team on January 14.

List of Vietnam team

Goalkeepers: Nguyen Dinh Trieu (Hai Phong), Nguyen Filip ( Hanoi Police Club)

Defenders: Vo Minh Trong ( Binh Duong ), Vu Van Thanh, Giap Tuan Duong, Ho Van Cuong, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Ho Tan Tai (Hanoi Police Club), Do Duy Manh (Hanoi FC), Le Ngoc Bao (Binh Dinh), Do Thanh Thinh (Binh Dinh), Nguyen Thanh Binh, Phan Tuan Tai (The Cong Viettel).

Midfielders: Do Hung Dung, Pham Xuan Manh, Nguyen Hai Long (Hanoi FC), Nguyen Tuan Anh (HAGL), Le Pham Thanh Long, Nguyen Quang Hai, Pham Van Luan (Hanoi Police Club), Trieu Viet Hung (Hai Phong), Nguyen Hoang Duc, Truong Tien Anh, Khuat Van Khang (The Cong Viettel), Nguyen Thai Son (Thanh Hoa).

Forwards: Nguyen Van Toan (Nam Dinh), Pham Tuan Hai, Nguyen Van Tung (Hanoi FC), Nguyen Dinh Bac (Quang Nam).

Mai Phuong

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