Phan Van Duc - the factor that helped Vietnam National Team create a surprise in UAE
(Baonghean.vn) - In the list of players who are gathering for the national team this time, there are many new recruits who are expected. However, the most qualified "new recruit" of the Vietnam National Team in the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers is Phan Van Duc.
The Vietnam national team has had a week of training and all players must try their best and show their best. Because 38 players were called up, Coach Park Hang-seo will shorten the list to 26 players to go to UAE, with a squad of 11 players playing each match. Therefore, the opportunity is considered very difficult for the new players when the Vietnam national team is still leading Group G with 11 points.
In the previous 5 qualifying matches, the Korean coach only used 14 players for the official squad and never made more than one substitution after each match. The new players such as Ha Minh Tuan, Huu Tuan, Trong Hung, Viet Phong, Le Van Dai, were hardly allowed to play. Only striker Viet Phong was allowed to enter the field 25 minutes after we had led 3-0 against Indonesia.
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Coach Park Hang-seo is still waiting for Phan Van Duc to complete the preparation process. Photo: Hai Hoang |
It is also correct to call Phan Van Duc a “rookie”. Because in those 5 qualifying matches, Phan Van Duc was absent due to injury and the SLNA player always won the trust of Coach Park. Therefore, Phan Van Duc’s place in the 2022 World Cup Qualifiers is not only guaranteed but he is also considered as a surprise option for opponents.
Van Duc's performance in V.League 2021 since the beginning of the season is still very impressive. Despite SLNA being at the bottom of the rankings of Vietnam's highest football tournament, the striker born in 1996 is still in the top scorers with 5 goals.
With the left striker position, Van Duc is even more trusted than Cong Phuong or Van Toan. His enthusiastic playing style, actively dropping back to support the defense and then accelerating forward is what this player has shown in previous campaigns such as the U23 Asian Cup, Asian Games 2018, AFF Cup and Asian Cup 2019.
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Phan Van Duc is one of the most important players of the Vietnam National Team. Photo: Hai Thinh |
In the 3-4-3 formation that coach Park Hang-seo built for the Vietnam national team, Van Duc does not play in the center forward position. Therefore, the problem lies in how Phan Van Duc will be used if the Vietnam national team plays with a 5-3-2 formation in the upcoming 2022 World Cup Qualifiers.
It is expected that on May 18, Phan Van Duc and his teammates such as Pham Xuan Manh and Nguyen Van Hoang will join the national team after the quarantine period. At that time, Coach Park will certainly have separate training plans for the SLNA players and Van Duc will be the name of special interest.
Phan Van Duc's position in the Vietnam national team's lineup will gradually be revealed in training sessions. With his speed, agility, ability to attack and defend, sharp passing and diverse finishing, SLNA's star is expected to be a big unknown for opponents.

Phan Van Duc reassures fans about the future at SLNA
(Baonghean.vn) - The brightest star of Song Lam Nghe An, midfielder Phan Van Duc, said that he has not accepted any club offer yet, even though his contract with his hometown team will expire at the end of 2021.