Cong Phuong must practice separately before the final match of the Four Nations tournament.

The striker who is playing for Mito Hollyhock has not fully recovered yet and is uncertain whether he will be able to participate in the final match against Singapore tonight, June 6.

Cong Phuong walks with the doctor on the afternoon of June 5. Photo: Dong Huyen

On the afternoon of June 5, the Vietnamese team practiced at Thuwunna Stadium, where the final match of the Four Nations friendly tournament will take place. Coach Huu Thang and his team were in a very relaxed mood, the practice session was filled with laughter. Cong Phuong was the only player who had to work privately with the doctor and could not practice with his teammates.

Cong Phuong came off the bench in the 2-0 win over Syria at My Dinh (May 31). The midfielder from Nghe An then suffered a sprain and was unable to play in the match against Hong Kong on June 3.

Coach Huu Thang is a very cautious person, he does not use players when they have not fully recovered from injuries. "I do not want players to let their injuries become more serious because of one match. They must think about their long-term future," the strategist of the Vietnamese team shared.

Coach Huu Thang is not too bothered by the absence of Cong Phuong because he has Cong Vinh in form. The striker from Nghe An has been very lucky in scoring goals since the Vietnam team "changed coach", scoring five goals in the last four matches.

Cong Vinh (number 9) is the captain of the Vietnam team. Photo: Dong Huyen

Before the final match, Coach Huu Thang carefully studied data about Singapore. The strategist from Nghe An especially appreciated the defensive system of the team from the lion island.

“Singapore is very strong in defense. They also have fast strikers who are capable of operating independently. This team switches from defense to attack very quickly,” he said of his opponent.

Coach Huu Thang was not satisfied with the performance of the defense in the victory over Hong Kong (2-2 draw after 90 minutes, 4-3 win in the penalty shootout). Therefore, yesterday he spent a lot of time adjusting and reminding the defenders. The strategist from Nghe An required the defense to play more focused and solidly to avoid making mistakes, leading to unnecessary goals conceded in the final match.

After the final match, the Vietnamese players will fly back home to prepare for the next round of the V-League. The trio Xuan Truong, Tuan Anh and Cong Phuong will fly to Japan and South Korea to serve the clubs where they are currently playing on loan.

According to VNE