Việt Nam national team manager Park Hang-seo (right) will be without defender Đoàn Văn Hậu for the remainder of the qualifying campaign. — Photo vietnamplus.vn

HÀ NỘI — National team defender Đoàn Văn Hậu has been ruled out of the remaining World Cup qualifiers through injury. 

His club, Hà Nội FC, says he has had a recurrence of a knee injury and requires surgery. He is expected to be unavailable for the next five months. 

His team is currently applying for a visa to send him to South Korea for surgery.

According to doctors specialising in musculoskeletal and joint problems, the full extent of Hậu's injury was not accurately assessed in the past.

"It is the failure to accurately detect the injury that has resulted in the injury not being treated completely and being prolonged,” said one of the doctors.

“This is also the reason for the hasty mentality in using him in training and matches.”

The 22-year-old left back has been injured since playing for the club in September 2020 and had to undergo surgery before.

In June 2021, after recovering from the surgery, Hậu was called up to the national team to play the last three matches of the second round of 2022 World Cup qualifiers, leading to the relapse.

Before the matches against Saudi Arabia and Australia in the third qualifying round, coach Park still added Hậu to the team but had to return him to the club following his injury.

Hậu has always been a key player in Coach Park’s team, but the Hà Nội FC defender won’t be able to play for the remainder of the qualifying campaign.

Defender Nguyễn Thành Chung is also unlikely to feature in the game against China on October 7.

The Hà Nội’s player has not completely recovered from a muscle injury but still played in the 1-3 loss to Saudi Arabia due to the injuries of centre back Bùi Tiến Dũng and Trần Đình Trọng.

Returning to Mỹ Đình stadium, Chung also featured in the loss to Australia on September 7. After this match, the 24-year-old suffered a muscle tear and will need at least a month to recover.

In the 2022 World Cup third-round qualification, Việt Nam are still to win a point after two matches and are only above the bottom team China in group B thanks to a better goal difference.

The two teams will meet in the UAE as China is not prioritised by the government in terms of isolation time, leading the match to be play at a neutral venue. — VNS