U22 Vietnam is afraid of losing Van Truong, an opportunity for Tran Thanh Trung

Vietnam U22 faces a major personnel problem when captain Nguyen Van Truong was seriously injured in the final minutes of the 0-1 loss to Korea U22 at the 2025 Panda Cup. Initial test results in China showed that he had damaged the lateral tibial sheath, tendons, medial and lateral ligaments; doctors are monitoring the possibility of a partial rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. The risk of missing the 33rd SEA Games and the 2025 AFC U23 Championship is very high, at the same time opening up the opportunity for overseas Vietnamese midfielder Tran Thanh Trung to be recalled.

Key Moments at the Panda Cup

The match ended in a narrow 0-1 defeat, but the bigger blow came at the end when Nguyen Van Truong left the field due to injury. Initial diagnosis showed multiple areas of the knee affected, including the ligament structure. Although surgery is not required immediately, Van Truong will need to continue to be monitored and may undergo additional tests after returning to Vietnam.

Professional impact: loss of the link to organize the play

Van Truong is not only the captain but also an important link in the operational structure of U22 Vietnam. The risk of being absent from the 33rd SEA Games and the 2025 AFC U23 Championship means that the coaching staff must recalculate the organization of the midfield and control the tempo of the match. This is a significant gap in both role and influence on the match.

The door is open for Tran Thanh Trung

In the list of 26 players participating in the Panda Cup 2025, coach Kim Sang Sik surprised everyone by eliminating Tran Thanh Trung even though the midfielder born in 2004 is in good form in the V-League. The new developments forced U22 Vietnam to consider additional options and Thanh Trung emerged as a bright choice.

According to internal assessment, Thanh Trung has the ability to control the rhythm, pass the ball and create good breakthroughs. His limitations are that he does not have much international experience and his physique is not as outstanding as Van Truong, but in the context of the team needing more creativity in the midfield, this is the right capacity configuration to fill the current gap.

Decision to wait for additional test results

The possibility of a personnel change depends on the results of Van Truong's next injury assessment. If the risk of a long-term absence is confirmed, the chance for Tran Thanh Trung to return before the 33rd SEA Games is very clear.

The big picture

The 2025 Panda Cup ended with a minimal defeat for U22 Vietnam and a big worry about the squad. In the short term, the problem for the coaching staff is to maintain the ability to coordinate and create in the midfield. Recalling Tran Thanh Trung, who was eliminated just before the departure, is the most feasible option at this time.