Vietnam player gives good news to coach Kim Sang-sik; U17 Indonesia loses 0-6 to U17 North Korea

Variables with striker Nguyen Xuan Son

The 1-1 draw against Ho Chi Minh City FC was a clear reminder: Nam Dinh are still living in the memory of Nguyen Xuan Son. Not only a striker, he is the soul in the tactical operation of the Southern team this season.

The variables are very clear through the telling numbers. In the last 3 matches with Nguyen Xuan Son, Nam Dinh won absolutely, scoring 12 goals and conceding only 1. Xuan Son alone contributed 5 goals - a devastating performance, demonstrating the class of a modern striker. He not only scored goals, but also created continuous pressure on the opponent's defense, stretching the defense system, opening up space for the second line to run up.

But since Xuan Son was injured, Nam Dinh has entered a period of struggling with itself. In the next 9 matches, the team from Nam Dinh only won 4 times, and also only scored exactly 12 goals - equal to the achievement of the first 3 matches of the season. This shows one thing: Xuan Son is the most important "variable" in the way Nam Dinh organizes the game.

Modric buys club in England

British media confirmed that Luka Modric reached an agreement to buy back a portion of Swansea City's shares.

Modric will join investors Andy Coleman, Brett Cravatt, Nigel Morris and Jason Cohen as the new co-owners of Swansea City. The move comes after the club changed ownership last November, when Jason Levien and Steve Kaplan sold their 74.95% stake, ending their eight-year reign.

However, the investment amount and specific shareholding ratio of the Croatian midfielder have not been disclosed. Swansea has many years of fighting inPremier League and is currently ranked 12th in the Championship (English First Division).

The Athletic revealed that despite his involvement in the role of football investor, Modric has no intention of hanging up his boots. He still has a thirst for playing at the highest level and wants to continue his association with Real Madrid, despite his current contract expiring this summer and his future being unclear.

Vietnam national team player gives good news to coach Kim Sang-sik

Center back Pham Ly Duc's injury is not as serious as expected and he may soon return to the Vietnam national team.

On the afternoon of April 14, center back Pham Ly Duc started training again after a 2-week injury break. However, at this time, Ly Duc has only started recovery exercises in the gym instead of outdoor ball exercises. HAGL does not want their young player to take risks and possibly prolong the injury.

Ly Duc had problems after the match between HAGL and The Cong Viettel in the quarter-finals of the National Cup. The defender's injury originated from a situation where he was tackling the ball. The unfavorable landing position caused Ly Duc to be in pain. Coach Le Quang Trai said that the bad grass at My Dinh Stadium was the main reason for the HAGL player's injury.

If the injury recovery process goes smoothly, Pham Ly Duc can return to competition from the beginning of May. He is even ready to join the Vietnam national team when coach Kim Sang-sik puts his trust in him.

Fans demand "ban all football activities" with Mbappe

Many angry opinions demand "banning all football activities" for Real Madrid and French national team star Kylian Mbappe.

The reason why many people are angry with Mbappe is because he just had an action of 'leaving the ball behind', committing a brutal foul on Antonio Blanco.

The 26-year-old striker kicked his opponent straight in the shin during Real Madrid's 1-0 win over Alaves in round 31 of La Liga on the evening of April 13.

Initially, the referee only gave the French star a yellow card, but after VAR intervened, Mbappe received a direct red card.

Many people expressed their anger at the former PSG striker: “Mbappe’s cruel foul”. There were even comments calling for a permanent ban from football for the French striker: “The foul is unacceptable, he should be banned from all football activities”.

U17 Korea enters semi-finals after thrilling match; U17 Indonesia loses 0-6 to U17 North Korea

The encounter between U17 Korea and U17 Tajikistan in the quarter-finals of the 2025 AFC U17 Championship brought an emotional score chase, making fans unable to take their eyes off until the last seconds.

The match started with a tight contest as both teams started cautiously, prioritizing solidity in defense. During the more than an hour of play, neither side was able to really make a clear difference.

Just when it seemed that victory was certain for Tajikistan, the climax of the match came in the final minute of extra time. In the 90+9 minute, U17 Korea was awarded a penalty after a controversial situation in the penalty area. On the 11m mark, Kim Ji-sung calmly equalized 2-2, bringing the match into a fateful penalty shootout.

In the nerve-wracking "shootout", the Korean team showed their mettle when they won 5-3 against U17 Tajikistan.

This result brings U17 Korea to the semi-finals of the 2025 AFC U17 Championship to meet host U17 Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, U17 Indonesia lost 0-6 to U17 North Korea and stopped at the 2025 AFC U17 Championship in the most bitter way; U17 North Korea advanced to the semi-finals to face U17 Uzbekistan.