7 most impressive Vietnamese players at Asian Cup 2019
Quang Hai, Ngoc Hai, Cong Phuong, Hung Dung, Van Hau, Van Lam and Trong Hoang made outstanding contributions on Vietnam's journey to the quarterfinals.
1. Nguyen Quang Hai.Exactly one year since his explosive performance at the U23 Asian Cup, the 21-year-old midfielder continues to perform well and is an indispensable factor for Vietnam.
As the biggest source of creativity, the Hanoi FC player was the second most passer (246 passes) with an accuracy rate of 77.6%, of which 46.7% were successful long passes. Only 1m68 tall, but Quang Hai won 20 out of 43 duels with tall opponents and brought many counter-attacking opportunities for the team.
Quang Hai's free kick in the 2-0 win over Yemen was voted the best of the group stage, but one goal is not enough to show his important contributions to the Vietnamese team.
2. Que Ngoc Hai.Vietnam played effective and varied counter-attacking defense throughout the tournament, with leader Que Ngoc Hai.
The 25-year-old defender is the most reliable stopper in the defense, and is one of the few players who played the entire match. Ngoc Hai had 29 saves, four tackles and six successful interceptions. The SLNA player passed the ball 251 times, the most in the team and achieved an accuracy rate of up to 81.7%. Not only that, the Vietnamese captain also contributed a goal in the match against Yemen, and successfully scored the first penalty in the match against Jordan - bringing Vietnam to the quarter-finals.
3. Nguyen Cong Phuong.The responsibility of scoring goals in Vietnam is placed on Cong Phuong's shoulders, after veteran Nguyen Anh Duc is absent.
The striker, who has just turned 24, has done a good job. He is a constant threat to the opponent's defense, scoring two important goals, one of which came against Jordan in the round of 16. In the match against Japan in the quarterfinals, Cong Phuong was the most aggressive player on the Vietnamese side. The HAGL player had many impressive dribbles, but lacked a bit of luck to bring the team a goal.
4. Do Hung Dung.Vietnam is currently possessing a "Golden Generation" with the majority of players under 23 years old. Therefore, Hung Dung is one of the most experienced players (25 years old).
After an impressive performance at the AFF Cup, Hung Dung continued to prove his talent at the Asian Cup when coach Park Hang-seo used him in many different roles in midfield. He was sometimes the boss in the midfield, the bridge between defense and attack, but sometimes he moved up to create space for his teammates to play the ball.
Hung Dung was also one of Vietnam's most effective long-range shooters and passers at the tournament. He had four shots on target and had a successful long-range pass rate of 57.1%.
5. Doan Van Hau.The performance of "number 5" shows that a bright future awaits the 19-year-old defender.
Doan Van Hau appeared in all five of Vietnam’s matches at the tournament, starting four of them. The left-back was a rock in defence, making 14 saves and a tackle success rate of nearly 60%. In the round of 16, he kept Jordan’s striker Musa Al-Taamari at bay, while also providing effective support in the attack.
In the match against Japan, the Hanoi FC player also somewhat limited the ability of star winger Ritsu Doan. 43.9% of Van Hau's passes were directed forward, among which, there was a long pass that put Van Toan in a favorable position at the end of the match against Japan.
6. Nguyen Trong HoangAt the age of 29, Trong Hoang still maintains abundant physical strength and is known as the "Lungless Man" of the Vietnam team.
Along with Van Hau, he is one of the two players who have to move the most in matches, but still ensures solidity in defense and effectiveness in attack. This right-back contributed greatly to Cong Phuong's two goals in the matches against Iraq and Jordan. His smart, enthusiastic playing style and his fearlessness in contact make Trong Hoang one of the most impressive players in the tournament despite not playing in his preferred position.
7. Dang Van Lam.The 25-year-old goalkeeper did not leave much of an impression in the group stage, but was Vietnam's standout player in the knockout matches.
Van Lam shone in the penalty shootout in the round of 16 match against Jordan, before making a series of brilliant saves in the match against Japan, helping Vietnam keep their hopes of equalizing alive until the end of the match. Yesterday's match can be said to be one of Van Lam's best performances in the national team shirt.
Throughout the tournament, the goalkeeper of Vietnamese-Russian descent successfully blocked 16 out of 23 shots on target that Vietnam faced, reaching a rate of 69.6%.
