Tran Thanh Trung's injury relapsed and he left the field in the 43rd minute.

Tran Thanh Trung had to leave the field in the 43rd minute of the away match against Cong An TP.HCM on the evening of November 9 at Thong Nhat, after a recurrence of the injury in the same place as the torn calf. The representative of Ninh Binh Club said that the midfielder born in 2005 is expected to rest for about a week and has not suffered any new complicated injuries.

Key moment: leaving the field in the 43rd minute

Despite having just recovered, Thanh Trung endured the pain to play in the V-League 2025/26 despite being selected by coach Gerard Albadalejo. However, a series of collisions in the first half caused a severe impact on his not-yet-healed calf. In the 43rd minute, the Ninh Binh midfielder was forced to ask for a substitution, ending a short but hard-fought match day.

Injury origin: consequences from the match against Becamex TP.HCM

The current injury originated in the match against Becamex TP.HCM, when Thanh Trung was fouled by Tran Dinh Khuong in the penalty area. That tackle caused a tear in his shin, forcing him to leave the field and go to the hospital for stitches. Despite leaving the field early, he still contributed to Ninh Binh's penalty kick. After that, the 19-year-old midfielder was absent from the match against Song Lam Nghe An for treatment.

Personnel decisions and accepted risks

Before the match at Thong Nhat, Ninh Binh's squad was damaged by many injuries, forcing coach Albadalejo to use Thanh Trung again when his physical condition was not at its best. That decision was situational and did not bring the expected results when the young midfielder could not complete the first half. Information from the club said that the pain recurred in the same area as the old injury; fortunately, no more complicated injuries were recorded.

Immediate impact: missed U22 Vietnam training session

With his current condition, Thanh Trung will not be present at the November training session of U22 Vietnam towards SEA Games 33. Coach Kim Sang Sik has decided not to call him up to avoid risks for the player who has not fully recovered. This is an unfortunate loss for a young player who is showing good development and is in the monitoring plan of the youth teams.

This season's mark: efficiency in limited time

Although he has only played a few matches since the start of the 2025/26 V-League season, Thanh Trung has left a clear mark: an assist and a penalty for Ninh Binh. Those condensed contributions show his value in the midfield, where Ninh Binh is in need of stable personnel options amid a tight schedule and many minor injuries.

Recovery prospects and expectations for the second leg

According to Ninh Binh, Thanh Trung's expected rest period is about a week. If the recovery process goes as planned and the calf tear heals completely, the midfielder born in 2005 can soon return to contribute professionally. The coaching staff hopes he will be ready for the return leg, in the context that Ninh Binh needs to strengthen the midfield and increase the connection with the attack.

The big picture: a balancing act between risk and the need to compete

The incident in the 43rd minute is a slice of the eternal problem of clubs: balancing the need to use personnel and the risk of injury recurrence. For Ninh Binh, the positive thing is that the injury did not get worse and the expected absence time is short. For Thanh Trung, the number one priority is still to recover completely to get back on track, instead of suppressing the pain - something that helped the team get a penalty against Becamex TP.HCM but also prolonged the risk.

In the context of the V-League 2025/26 race entering the crucial stage, a healthy version of Tran Thanh Trung will help Ninh Binh have more options in the midfield, and U22 Vietnam is also waiting for him to return to his best condition to increase depth for the upcoming tournament.