Coach Park eliminated four players before AFF Cup 2022

The four eliminated players include goalkeeper Nguyen Van Hoang (SLNA), defender Nguyen Thanh Nhan (HAGL), striker Pham Dinh Duy (Da Nang) and Ha Duc Chinh (Binh Dinh). All four are healthy, but cannot compete with teammates in the same position in both quality and experience.

Among 25 players going to Laos, midfielder Nguyen Hai Huy and striker Khuat Van Khang are backup plans, because defender Doan Van Hau and midfielder Nguyen Hoang Duc are not in the best shape.

The initial list of this gathering consisted of 31 players. After the friendly match against Borussia Dortmund 2-1 on November 30, midfielder Nguyen Trong Hoang had to retire from the team due to his unsatisfactory condition, while the central defender of the Da Nang club Luong Duy Cuong was eliminated.

Coach Park decided to retain three goalkeepers, Dang Van Lam, Tran Nguyen Manh and Nguyen Van Toan. Among these, Van Toan was a surprise because he did not play a minute for Hai Phong in the 2022 season due to losing his position to Dinh Trieu. Van Toan's recent matches have all taken place in the national team's shirt. In the friendly match with Dortmund, Van Toan was still ranked as the main player and played for 82 minutes.

In the final list, there are four people who did not attend the friendly match against the Philippines 1-0 yesterday, including Nguyen Quang Hai, Van Hau, Hoang Duc and Ho Tan Tai. While Van Hau and Hoang Duc were injured, Quang Hai just returned to the army this morning on December 15 after a long flight from France. Tan Tai has a family problem, so he didn't practice the last two sessions. However, all four are the best players in their positions, and will almost certainly start when they return.

This morning, the team only practiced at the hotel gym. Tomorrow, the team will practice for the last time in Hanoi before going to Laos on the morning of December 17. Here, coach Park's teachers and students had four days to prepare before the opening match against host Laos. In the AFF Cup 2020, the team also met Laos in the first match, and won 2-0.

- Goalkeeper (3): Dang Van Lam (Binh Dinh), Tran Nguyen Manh (Viettel), Nguyen Van Toan (Hai Phong)

Defenders (10): Que Ngoc Hai (SLNA), Doan Van Hau, Do Duy Manh, Nguyen Thanh Chung, Bui Hoang Viet Anh (Hanoi FC), Bui Tien Dung, Nguyen Thanh Binh (Viettel), Nguyen Phong Hong Duy, Vu Van Thanh (HAGL), Ho Tan Tai (Binh Dinh)

Midfielders (8): Nguyen Quang Hai (Pau FC), Do Hung Dung (Hanoi FC), Nguyen Hoang Duc, Khuat Van Khang (Viettel), Phan Van Duc (SLNA), Nguyen Tuan Anh (HAGL), Nguyen Hai Huy, Chau Ngoc Quang (Hai Phong)

- Strikers (4): Nguyen Van Quyet, Pham Tuan Hai (Hanoi FC), Nguyen Tien Linh (Binh Duong), Nguyen Van Toan (HAGL).