The goalkeeper from Nghe An province had the best performance in the first half of the V.League 2020 season.

According to the V.League 2020 standings so far, the team with the best defense is Saigon FC with only 6 goals conceded. The team, currently led by coach and chairman Vu Tien Thanh, is also leading with an unbeaten record of 11 matches.

However, according to data from the Instat software, the goalkeeper with the best and most comprehensive performance is Tran Duc Cuong of B. Binh Duong. In the early stages of the season, the goalkeeper from Nghe An, born in 1985, played 808 minutes on the field, missing 2 matches due to injury.

The statistics of the former SLNA goalkeeper are very impressive despite having to pick the ball out of the net 7 times. Tran Duc Cuong's number of saves reached 29 times (81%), his number of saves was 9. The number of successful exits from the goal was 49/53 (92).

Amazing statistics about 35-year-old goalkeeper Tran Duc Cuong. Graphic: TK

Duc Cuong's attacking prowess is among the best in V.League 2020, averaging 1.3 short passes, 14 out of 15 medium passes, and 8 out of 11 long passes per 90 minutes. Thanks to this, despite being a goalkeeper, his pass completion rate is 88%. Duc Cuong's Instat score reaches 243, placing him in the top position.

In second place is goalkeeper Tran Buu Ngoc of HAGL Club. The former Vietnam U23 national team player conceded 8 goals, surpassing Duc Cuong in the number of saves (12) but the number of times he blocked the ball was 77%, the successful passing rate was 77% and the average long pass was 8/12 times accurate every 90 minutes.

Ranked among the best goalkeepers in V.League 2020 thanks to their high ratings for saves, accurate passes, and attacking contributions are Nguyen Thanh Thang of Ho Chi Minh City FC, Huynh Tuan Linh of Than Quang Ninh, and Tong Duc An of Saigon FC.

In particular, goalkeeper Tong Duc An stood out with 14 accurate attacking passes and a passing accuracy rate of up to 90%. Unfortunately, in 11 matches, Duc An's playing time was quite limited, totaling only 189 minutes on the field.

While the performance of veteran goalkeepers in V.League 2020 was very impressive, the national team players showed less than expected performance.

Goalkeeper Nguyen Manh conceded quite a few goals while playing for Viettel but still performed well with 10 saves. Graphic: TK

Goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung of Ho Chi Minh City FC played 289 minutes in this period, conceding 4 goals, making only 4 saves (50% success rate), and only 1 save. Tien Dung's strength lies in his positioning and positioning; he made 17 out of 17 accurate saves. His footwork is also average to good, with 82% accurate passes.

Goalkeeper Nguyen Manh, during his time playing for SLNA in the V.League 2019, was the best goalkeeper in the league with 9 clean sheets. This season, he has conceded 14 goals in 1,047 minutes of play, but he still shows himself to be a top-class goalkeeper.

Nguyen Manh had 24 successful tackles (63%), and also made 10 saves for his team. The former SLNA captain's successful entry and exit from goal was 32/34 (94%). In terms of initiating attacks, Nguyen Manh was successful in 7/10 attempts, and his passing accuracy was 83%.

SLNA goalkeeper Van Hoang made 11 saves but conceded 13 goals. Graphic: TK

Despite being considered a promising goalkeeper for the national team, Van Hoang is still far from perfect. The SLNA goalkeeper has conceded 13 goals in 11 matches, playing 1,054 minutes. He has a successful save rate of 33 times (72%), and a relatively high number of saves (11 times). The former Vietnam U23 goalkeeper's pass accuracy rate is 84%, with 9 out of 12 successful long-range attacks.

Goalkeeper Nguyen Tuan Manh moved to SHB Da Nang but is no longer a top goalkeeper in the V.League. He only ranks 14th out of 21 goalkeepers this season. Surprisingly, the goalkeeper with the most saves is Duong Quang Tuan of HL Ha Tinh with 14 successful saves (ranked 15th out of 21).

The most disappointing performance came from goalkeeper Pham Van Cuong of Quang Nam FC. In 1,047 minutes of play, Van Cuong conceded 27 goals, made 26 successful saves (49% success rate), and only 4 crucial saves. Despite his good height and a 45/50 (90%) accuracy rate in coming out of his goal, the goalkeeper from Nghe An only managed 5 out of 7 accurate long passes to initiate attacks.

The number of goals conceded also depends on the quality of the defense. However, it is easy to see that goalkeepers who have received high expectations, such as Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Van Hoang, Pham Van Cuong, etc., will have to work very hard if they want to participate in the upcoming campaigns of the Vietnamese national team.

Goalkeeper Tran Duc Cuong: The "Spider-Man" experiences a resurgence at 35.

(Baonghean.vn) - Most Vietnamese players born in 1985 have retired, with few still playing in the V.League. However, at the age of 35, goalkeeper Tran Duc Cuong still seems to be experiencing a "rejuvenation," showing no signs of wanting to stop playing for B. Binh Duong Club.