The mysterious factor of U23 Vietnam?

It seemed that Tien Linh would be the trump card of U22 Vietnam at SEA Games 30, but with his tireless efforts, Ha Duc Chinh showed that he deserves to be a starter for U22 and U23 Vietnam. Although he was not successful in SHB.Da Nang's shirt at V.League 2019, when he entered the field to play with Tien Linh, Ha Duc Chinh made the U22 Vietnam attack more flexible and diverse.

Looking for a substitute for whom?

Duc Chinh has scored 8 goals, this striker has now risen to the top of the list of top scorers of SEA Games 30, while Tien Linh has also promptly scored 6 goals. The understanding of this duo has made Mr. Park confident in switching to the 3-5-2 formation. On the AFC website, Quang Hai and Tien Linh are mentioned as the stars of Group D. The striker born in 1997 has scored important goals to help the Vietnam National Team lead Group G of the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers and bring U22 Vietnam to the championship of SEA Games 30.

Who will be the reserve for the duo Tien Linh and Duc Chinh? Photo: VFF

Surprisingly, although he was not included in the friendly match with U23 Bahrain, Nham Manh Dung was the one named in the official list of 23 U23 Vietnam players. It seems that the Korean coach expected the number 13 striker to be the "trump card" at the 2020 AFC U23 Championship, as he was with Phan Van Duc of SLNA 2 years ago.

X Factor

It seems that Mr. Park wants to put away his trump card Manh Dung to avoid the attention of scouts in the group stage and give Danh Trung one last chance to show his ability before making a decision.

In terms of expertise, Nham Manh Dung is highly appreciated for his ability to operate independently on the attack line, choosing good positions to finish. Possessing a height of 1m81 and a large physique, the young striker of Viettel is very strong in the ability to fight in the air, press and act as a wall for the second line to finish.

Mr. Park also highly appreciated Manh Dung's ability to coordinate with Hoang Duc, Quang Hai, and Trong Hung, who will be on the U23 Vietnam attack line. The young player's wide-ranging and good running style gives his teammates many creative options to approach the opponent's goal.

Manh Dung's strength is independent combat. Photo: VFF

Even in the worst case, if both Duc Chinh and Tien Linh cannot play due to injury or penalty cards, Manh Dung is still expected to be a worthy replacement for the attack.

Obviously, Tien Linh is the best player of U23 Vietnam and the National Team in the center forward position, but the Viettel player will still be a quality backup option for the B.Binh Duong striker. It will not be surprising if this 19-year-old striker will shine at the 2020 AFC U23 Championship, because Mr. Park's calculations are often very accurate.