Center back Nhu Thanh: "Trong Hoang was the most impressive player in the Vietnam - Iraq match"

“I was a bit surprised that at the age of 29, Trong Hoang had just chosen such a suitable playing position. Obviously, although he did not score, Trong Hoang was still the one who deserved to be rated the best player in this match. In the situation where Hoang placed the ball before Cong Phuong rushed in, causing the opposing team's defender to fumble and kick the ball into his own net, not many defenders could have done that. Remember, Hoang's shot was made with his own painful leg,” said center back Nhu Thanh.

Trong Hoang played with great effort against Iraq. Photo: AFC

Right in the first touch, Trong Hoang had a very fierce tackle on the opposing striker. Hoang was still so fiery that he forgot that he was being bandaged because of an injury. The referee did not hesitate to immediately show the Vietnamese defender a yellow card after that tackle. There was almost no reaction from the Nghe An midfielder. As for the fans, they began to feel worried. Could it be that because the injury had not healed yet, Trong Hoang was not feeling his best?

Vietnam quickly regained control of the game. As for Trong Hoang, in the first 45 minutes of the match, he played as if he was ready to die on the field. Attacking and defending rhythmically, Hoang became a victim of the opponent's "using force to overwhelm" style of play. The Iraqis began to feel uncomfortable when facing a fearless and stubborn team.

Facing a team that was superior in both size and strength, Mr. Park’s students had a hard time attacking at times. Therefore, Trong Hoang’s right wing was always a hot spot. Many times, the Iraqi players were annoyed because Hoang played too hard. However, with a strong physical foundation, Hoang “cow” still stood firm even though his leg was still aching from injury.

Despite losing 2-3 in the end, what the Vietnamese players achieved in this match was beyond the expectations of Vietnamese fans. As for Trong Hoang, a few days ago many people did not dare to believe that Hoang would be able to play because of a serious injury at the AFF Cup. However, Hoang played and fought as if he was in the best physical condition./.