Goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm is ready to play in the match between Việt Nam against Saudi Arabia on September 2 in the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup in Asia. Photo courtesy of VFF

Football

HÀ NỘI — Goalkeeper Đặng Văn Lâm is ready to play for Việt Nam against Saudi Arabia on September 2 in the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup in Asia.

After nearly two years of not playing for the national team, Lâm is not afraid of losing the opportunity to Bùi Tấn Trường who has played well in the last three World Cup qualifiers.

“I am training with the Vietnamese national team in Saudi Arabia. The atmosphere is very relaxed and everyone is thinking about the match against Saudi Arabia,” Lâm told the media.

“For me, every time I wear the national team jersey it is a great motivation to focus on training sessions.

"I wish to give the best for the Vietnamese team. Whether or not to play will depend on the head coach. Now I have to try my best in training sessions and be in the best shape and spirit."

The national team left Việt Nam for Saudi Arabia on August 28. Lâm, who plays for Cerezo Osaka in the J-League 1, flew from Japan to Riyadh to join the team.

Lâm hasn’t played for the Vietnamese national team since a match against Thailand in November 2019. In the 2022 World Cup qualifying campaign in the UAE, Lâm wasn’t present and was replaced by Trường.

The Việt Nam team train in Saudi Arabia. Photo courtesy of VFF

Lâm was forced to withdraw from the squad to play in the UAE due to close contact with a COVID-19 patient, one of his teammates at the Japanese club.

The Hà Nội FC goalkeeper, Trường has played well and is creating a competition with Lâm for the position.

According to Lâm, the weather is the biggest obstacle for the team. When the team practised at 8pm, the outdoor temperature was still above 40oC with a hot desert wind.

Việt Nam will play Saudi Arabia at 9pm on September 2 (local time). Photo courtesy of VFF

"Going to Saudi Arabia, my team and I were surprised by the climate. It is very hot and dry here. But professional players must quickly adapt to the weather to play well,” said Lâm.

Việt Nam will play Saudi Arabia at 9pm on September 2 (1am, September 3, Việt Nam time). VNS