FIFA calls Cong Phuong's name; 'Crazy' goal in Champions League
FIFA mentioned Cong Phuong, thereby evoking memories of one of the most beloved stars of Vietnamese football; Tottenham's center-back Micky van de Ven became the center of attention when he scored a spectacular solo goal in the early morning of November 5... Those are the outstanding sports news in the past 24 hours.
AFC may ban Malaysia until the end of the 2031 Asian Cup
As the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) prepares to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the country's media has looked back at previous cases in Malaysian sports.
Over the years, several Malaysian athletes, associations and sports officials across various disciplines have had their cases brought to CAS for adjudication.
Several foreign players and coaches who have worked in Malaysia have taken their cases to CAS, mainly due to contract disputes or unpaid wages with Malaysian clubs.
It is worth mentioning that Malaysian sports have never won when bringing the case to CAS. This is really the worry that covers Malaysian football in the case that is considered very difficult to win against FIFA.
In addition, the Timor Leste incident makes the Malaysian team even more worried, because this team had 9 players using invalid documents in the 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers, then not allowed to participate in the 2023 Asian Cup qualifiers. This means that the Malaysian team could be banned until the end of the 2031 Asian Cup if they lose to FIFA at CAS.
FIFA calls Cong Phuong's name
FIFA mentioned Cong Phuong, thereby evoking memories of one of the most beloved stars of Vietnamese football.
On the evening of November 4, the official Facebook page of the FIFA World Cup posted a picture of striker Nguyen Cong Phuong in the Vietnamese national team jersey with the question "What is your memory of CP10...?". The post quickly received tens of thousands of interactions, with countless comments from Vietnamese fans when Cong Phuong's name was mentioned by the world's largest football organization.
Cong Phuong was once a symbol of the golden generation of Vietnamese football under coach Park Hang-seo. He was a prominent factor in the journey to conquer the runner-up position of U23 Asia 2018, champion of AFF Cup 2018 and quarter-final of Asian Cup 2019. The image of the Nghe An player wearing the number 10 shirt, with curly hair and an impromptu way of playing football once made many fans "restless".
However, after brilliant years in the national team and HAGL Club, Cong Phuong was not successful when going abroad. Currently, the striker born in 1995 plays for Truong Tuoi Binh Phuoc Dong Nai in the national first division. However, he has not played a single minute this season due to injury.
Cong Phuong’s continuous absence recently has sparked rumors that he had a conflict with coach Nguyen Viet Thang in the locker room. However, the coach has denied it, affirming that the relationship between him and his student is still good, while emphasizing that Cong Phuong is in the process of recovering from injury and will return when he is in the best physical condition.
'Crazy' goals in the Champions League
Tottenham center-back Micky van de Ven became the center of attention when he scored a spectacular solo goal, contributing to the home team's 4-0 win over Copenhagen in the Champions League in the early morning of November 5.
In the 63rd minute, the Dutch midfielder stole the ball on the edge of his team's penalty area, then ran straight into the opponent's penalty area, passed four Copenhagen players before decisively finishing past goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski.
The goal showed Van de Ven's extraordinary strength and speed, and left the audience in awe. On social networks, Van de Ven's goal created a huge wave of debate.
One account wrote: “This is the best goal of the season in this year's Champions League." Another fan said: “Van de Ven is crazy, reminds me of Son Heung-min's masterpiece." Another fan commented: “Van de Ven's goal of a lifetime, I don't believe he is a center-back."
Winning big in Champions League, Arsenal breaks 122-year-old record
Arsenal continued their devastating form by beating Slavia Prague 3-0 in the Champions League qualifying round, setting a record of eight consecutive wins in all competitions.
During the trip to Slavia Prague, coach Mikel Artera decided to rotate the squad, giving opportunities to many reserve players such as Merino, Nwaneri, Hincapie and Norgaard.
The turning point came in the 32nd minute when the referee, after consulting VAR, determined that Provod handled the ball in the penalty area. Bukayo Saka coolly converted the penalty, opening the score for the “Gunners”.
Right at the beginning of the second half, Merino doubled the gap with an accurate close-range finish after a beautiful combination.
Not stopping there, the Spanish midfielder continued to make his mark in the 68th minute when he took advantage of the opposing goalkeeper's mistake to complete his double, sealing a 3-0 victory for Arsenal.
This victory not only helpsArsenal have not only taken 12 points from four Champions League group stage games, but have also made history with eight consecutive wins in all competitions - their best run since 1903.
