Who is the second-choice goalkeeper for the Vietnam U23 team?
(Baonghean.vn) - Besides the outstanding goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung, the Vietnam U23 team also has another equally talented goalkeeper, Nguyen Van Hoang, from Tan Ky district (Nghe An province), currently playing for Saigon FC.
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| Goalkeeper Nguyen Van Hoang in the Vietnam U23 national team jersey. Photo: Provided by the interviewee. |
In preparation for the U23 Asian Championship, coach Park Hang Seo has called up four goalkeepers: Bui Tien Dung, Dang Ngoc Tuan, Phi Minh Long, and Nguyen Van Hoang. At the M150 Cup friendly tournament in Thailand before the main competition, experts predicted that the goalkeeper from Nghe An would be the starting goalkeeper.
When the official tournament began, coach Park Hang Seo dropped two players, Ngoc Tuan and Minh Long, and the chosen one, who performed well, was Bui Tien Dung. Therefore, not many people knew about the second goalkeeper, Nguyen Van Hoang, of the Vietnam U23 team.
Nguyen Van Hoang was born in 1995 in Tan Ky, Nghe An, and was discovered at the VSH academy. After helping Saigon FC (formerly Hanoi FC) gain promotion, Van Hoang was only the second-choice goalkeeper. He consistently sat on the bench behind his senior teammate Tong Duc An for a long time at Saigon FC.
It wasn't until the 2016 season that Van Hoang made his debut in a 3-3 draw against Hai Phong, after which he started three more matches and came on as a substitute in one.
Goalkeeper Nguyen Van Hoang and his spectacular saves. Clip: Trung Kien
In the 2017 season, the handsome goalkeeper, despite not playing regularly, delivered outstanding performances whenever coach Nguyen Duc Thang gave him the opportunity. His excellent reflexes, intelligent positioning, and convincing performances caught the eye of coach Park Hang Seo, earning him a place in the U23 Asian Championship squad. Notably, this goalkeeper boasts an ideal height of 1.86 meters, even taller than goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung.At the AFC U23 Asian Championship, although he didn't get to play in any matches due to Bui Tien Dung's outstanding performance, this will be a valuable motivation, lesson, and experience for the goalkeeper when he returns to play in the V.League for Saigon FC.
The Vietnam U23 team includes 5 players and 1 assistant coach from Nghe An and Ha Tinh provinces:
- Nguyen Cong Phuong - HAGL Club, from Do Luong
- Bui Tien Dung (Student) - Viettel Club, from Duc Tho
- Pham Xuan Manh - SLNA Club, from Yen Thanh
- Phan Van Duc - SLNA Club, from Yen Thanh
- Nguyen Van Hoang (TM) - Saigon Club, from Tan Ky
- Le Huy Khoa - language assistant from Dien Chau
The handsome looks of goalkeeper Nguyen Van Hoang
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| Photo: FBNV |
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| Quang Hai and Van Hoang. Photo: FBNV |
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| The dashing look of goalkeeper Tan Ky, currently playing for Saigon FC. Photo: FBNV |

Statistics: Goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung was the best with a save rate of 77.8%.
(Baonghean.vn) - With his spectacular saves in the final match against Uzbekistan U23, goalkeeper Bui Tien Dung deserved to be named Man of the Match, even though Vietnam U23 only finished as runners-up.






