Why Minh Khoa?
The presence of Vo Hoang Minh Khoa in the Vietnamese national team is both surprising and... not surprising. The surprise is that the midfielder born in 2001 was not previously on coach Kim Sang-sik's "radar" when the Korean coach often prioritized experienced midfielders such as Nguyen Hoang Duc, Le Pham Thanh Long or Doan Ngoc Tan.
However, it is not surprising that Minh Khoa has played at a level that Mr. Kim could hardly ignore. The 24-year-old player had a favorable stepping stone when playing for a team that favors domestic development like Binh Duong Club. However, Minh Khoa's success today comes from his persistent and resilient efforts over many years, to change the stereotype from a purely diligent player who only knows how to run and run, to now becoming an all-round midfielder who carries the midfield of the Thu Dau Mot team.
Midfielder Vo Hoang Minh Khoa
Minh Khoa stepped into Binh Duong's first team to play in the V-League from 2022, when he was 21 years old. It was not until the 2023 - 2024 season that this midfielder really gained a foothold, with 23 appearances (14 starts) and 2 goals.
Under the coaching hand of the strict coach Le Huynh Duc, Minh Khoa was arranged to play freely like a "shuttle" diligently running on the tactical "loom" of Binh Duong. In the beginning, Minh Khoa played quite simply. The 24-year-old midfielder ran hard, enthusiastically contested, intercepted, and then brought the ball up the line. Minh Khoa's enthusiasm and aggressiveness hidden in his modest physique (only 1.73 m tall) impressed both coach Le Huynh Duc at Binh Duong Club and coach Hoang Anh Tuan (U.23 Vietnam).
However, Minh Khoa was still just a rough diamond at that time. He lacked the toughness of Ngoc Tan, and had not yet reached the level of shielding and developing the ball like Hoang Duc. The midfielder of Binh Duong Club pursued omnipotence, but at the level of... knowing a little bit of everything. He was more than enough for U.23 Vietnam (having shone at the 2023 Southeast Asian U.23 tournament and the 2024 Asian U.23 tournament), but was lacking for the national team, as he had never been targeted.
However, as coach Kim Sang-sik mentioned, one must diligently go to the stadium to watch V-League to not miss out on talent, Minh Khoa's efforts have paid off. Last season, Minh Khoa only started 53.8% of the matches for Binh Duong Club. This season, it is 86.7%. He has only been on the bench for 2 matches since the beginning of the tournament. Although playing in the midfield with Odilzhon Abdurakhmanov, a star who played 29 matches for the Kyrgyzstan team, Minh Khoa is not inferior.
Minh Khoa (right) is always enthusiastic
If Abdurakhmanov takes on the role of keeping the rhythm, Minh Khoa "plows" and sweeps the midfield to build up the play. In his fourth season in the V-League, Minh Khoa has become more mature. He handles things calmly, saves energy for important situations, and has good observation.
Statistics show that, whether playing for Binh Duong Club or U.23 Vietnam, Minh Khoa has many passes on the opponent's field with a high accuracy rate. He dares to pass more, can both defend and then support the attack like a spear thanks to his unlimited energy.
The race is fierce
In the midfield, Minh Khoa will compete with 3 midfielders. Hoang Duc is at the peak of his form, playing the role of the master of the midfield thanks to his ability to control the ball and the rhythm of play well. Ngoc Tan is past his prime (31 years old), but is still very strong and energetic. Thai Son has the same aggressive and persistent playing style as Ngoc Tan, but is younger and less experienced.
Coach Kim Sang-sik has many quality midfielders, each with their own unique style.
However, the midfielders still have something in common: they are all very diligent, have a wide range of activities and impressive physical strength to play the full 90 minutes. Coach Kim's midfield may not need to be extraordinary, but must maintain a stable playing intensity throughout the match to ensure a balance between attack and defense.
Coach Kim's Vietnam team always favors hard-working players. And Minh Khoa is not lacking in this quality. The midfielder of Binh Duong Club is a "diesel engine" suitable for creating a mobile and creative midfield. The flag is in hand, what are Minh Khoa waiting for?
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/minh-khoa-mang-den-nang-luong-va-suc-bat-cho-tuyen-giua-doi-tuyen-viet-nam-185250316124014353.htm
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