Dong Nai won round 6, Cong Phuong missed the 7th match
Coach Nguyen Viet Thang confirmed that Cong Phuong has not yet returned to practice and will continue to be absent; Dong Nai has 14 injured players, had to push Minh Vuong to play high but still won to stay close to Khacoto Khanh Hoa.
Truong Tuoi Dong Nai won against Thanh Nien TP.HCM in round 6 of the First Division, but the joy was accompanied by worries: Nguyen Cong Phuong continued to miss the seventh consecutive match due to injury, and coach Nguyen Viet Thang admitted that the team was suffering from a storm of injuries with 14 players having problems.
Cong Phuong still out of the picture: long absence streak
Fans are waiting for the return of the former Hoang Anh Gia Lai player after pictures of him training appeared, but the striker born in 1995 was not on the list of registered players. This is the seventh consecutive match that Cong Phuong has been unable to play (6 First Division matches, 1 National Cup match). His official contributions to Truong Tuoi Dong Nai since the beginning of the season are still zero due to injury.
Coach Nguyen Viet Thang briefly but clearly updated the progress:“In the next match, Cong Phuong could not play or practice with the team. I feel sorry for Cong Phuong. Since the beginning of the season, when preparing for the National Cup, Phuong contributed 4 goals in practice matches.”
Injury storm and rotation problem
The loss of personnel forced the coaching staff to make drastic adjustments. Coach Nguyen Viet Thang said:“Without Cong Phuong, I had to rotate personnel. Minh Vuong is not a striker but he had to be pushed up. I used a central midfielder when Phuong was absent. We had 14 injured players, so we had to rotate positions. Luckily, the team was eager, listened, and discovered themselves. They played in positions they were not good at but still did well.”
From a tactical perspective, the lack of a “main trigger” and “soul” in the attacking style of play like Cong Phuong forced Dong Nai to shift their creative fulcrum. The decision to push Minh Vuong to play higher up the pitch was to maintain a destination on the front line, while using an additional central midfielder helped the team increase the number of troops in the midfield area to control the rhythm and make up for the linking gap that Cong Phuong usually takes on.
Victory is a matter of character
Overcoming Thanh Nien TP.HCM in a personnel crisis showed the organization and discipline of the Truong Tuoi Dong Nai team. The players who had to play outside their strengths still completed their tasks, thanks to their desire and compliance with instructions as the head coach emphasized. This result helped the team continue to chase the top spot of Khacoto Khanh Hoa, while also strengthening their confidence before the next stage.
Outstanding numbers
- 7: Consecutive matches in which Cong Phuong was absent (6 First Division, 1 National Cup).
- 14: Number of injuries in the squad confirmed by coach Nguyen Viet Thang.
- 4: Goals Cong Phuong scored in practice matches while preparing for the National Cup.
Immediate impact
The head coach confirmed that Cong Phuong “has not practiced with the team” and “cannot play” in the next match, meaning that Truong Tuoi Dong Nai will continue to rely on rotation and position adjustments. In the race to catch up with Khacoto Khanh Hoa, maintaining positive results in a period of thin force will be crucial for the team’s points fund and spirit.
Statement of Coach Nguyen Viet Thang
“In the next match, Cong Phuong could not play or practice with the team. I feel sorry for Cong Phuong. Since the beginning of the season, when preparing for the National Cup, Phuong contributed 4 goals in practice matches.”
“Without Cong Phuong, I had to rotate personnel. Minh Vuong is not a striker but he had to be pushed up. I used a central midfielder when Phuong was absent. We had 14 injured players, so we had to rotate positions. Luckily, the team was eager, listened, and discovered themselves. They played in positions they were not good at but still did well.”
Tactical perspective: Keep the rhythm, wait for the spearhead to return
In the absence of a key creative striker, Dong Nai’s priority is to maintain structure and rhythm. Strengthening the midfield helps the team stabilize transitions and reduce the risk of losing the ball in sensitive areas. With Cong Phuong’s return, his role as the “connecting point” in attack may be restored, but for now, rotation and maximizing the role of players playing in the wrong position continues to be key.
