Vietnam U22 team departs for CFA Team China
The CFA Team China friendly tournament is an opportunity for coach Dinh Hong Vinh to build the squad and evaluate the performance of overseas Vietnamese players in the U22 Vietnam jersey.
Today (March 17), the Vietnam U22 team will leave for China to participate in the CFA Team China friendly tournament. This tournament is to evaluate and build up the team's strength towards the 2026 U23 Asian qualifiers and the 33rd SEA Games at the end of the year. Competing with quality opponents is an important opportunity for acting head coach Dinh Hong Vinh to test his personnel and shape his playing style.
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According to the match schedule, U22 Vietnam will face very strong opponents, including U22 Korea (March 21), U22 Uzbekistan (March 23) and U22 China (March 25). These are high-class teams, possessing diverse playing styles and extensive experience in the continental arena.
In the list of registered players, U22 Vietnam encountered many difficulties due to the absence of two important names: Goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien was called up to the national team, and striker Nguyen Dinh Bac could not participate due to a broken toe injury.
However, the squad still includes prominent names such as Ho Van Cuong, Dinh Xuan Tien, Nguyen Van Truong and Nguyen Quoc Viet - who contributed to the 2023 Southeast Asian U23 championship.
In the list of 25 players, the appearance of two Vietnamese-American midfielders, Viktor Le (Hong Linh Ha Tinh, V-League) and Andrej Nguyen An Khanh (SK Polanka, Czech Republic 4th Division) attracted special attention. These Vietnamese-American players bring different football styles from abroad, promising to increase the squad's versatility.
Acting head coach Dinh Hong Vinh said: Under the tactical guidance of coach Kim Sang-sik, it is hoped that these new players will bring a breath of fresh air to U22 Vietnam, especially in situations requiring creativity and quick transitions on the field.
In particular, with the trend of searching for and training overseas Vietnamese players to improve the quality of the national team, giving opportunities to Viktor Le and Andrej Nguyen An Khanh will be an important step.
The CFA Team China friendly tournament is not only an important test of expertise but also an opportunity for U22 Vietnam to assert itself against strong opponents. Integrating overseas Vietnamese players into the squad promises to help the youth team become more diverse and breakthrough in the future./.
