Van Truong: 'Must beat Indonesia to keep hope of moving on'

Qatar Midfielder Nguyen Van Truong determined that the Vietnamese team must defeat Indonesia in the second match of Group D to maintain hope of reaching the round of 16 of the 2023 Asian Cup.

After losing 2-4 to Japan yesterday, January 14, Vietnam returned to the training ground this morning, with a group of players playing light recovery exercises. Midfielder Nguyen Van Truong said the whole team is keeping a relaxed mentality, not yet reviewing the video to gain experience to prepare carefully for the next match against Indonesia on January 19.

"Coach Philippe Troussier is proud of the team for having a good and good match against the top team in Asia," Van Truong told VnExpress about how the performance against Japan helped the match against Indonesia. "But we are determined to focus on each match, and nothing can be said before the ball rolls."

Nguyen Van Truong during a training session with the Vietnamese team on the morning of January 15 in Doha, Qatar. Photo: Lam Thoa

Vietnam has the advantage of having one more day off than Indonesia, as their opponents will not face Iraq until tonight, January 15. The Vietnamese players will watch the match on television, while the coaching staff will watch it live at the stadium.

According to Van Truong, the upcoming match will be exciting, because Vietnam and Indonesia know each other very well through many confrontations. Besides, because they are in the same group with two very strong opponents, Iraq and Japan, the result of the match at Duhail Stadium between the two teams on January 19 can decide the possibility of advancing to the round of 16. "Vietnam must definitely beat Indonesia to keep the opportunity," Van Truong emphasized.

Nguyen Van Truong entered the field in the 64th minute to replace Nguyen Dinh Bac, marking his first official match for the national team. The midfielder born in 2003 felt happy to face a high-class opponent, increasing his motivation to contribute to the team and improving his competitive spirit.

Nguyen Van Truong rose to prominence when he won the 2022 National U19 Championship with Hanoi FC. He was then called up to the national team for the 2022 AFC U23 Championship under coach Gong Oh-kyun. Van Truong and Khuat Van Khang were two 19-year-old players who performed impressively in that tournament.

In 2023, the midfielder from Hung Yen was promoted to the first team of Hanoi FC, and often came on as a substitute. He has a place in the 2023 Asian Cup in the context of many seniors missing out due to injury.

Lam Thoa

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