Vietnamese striker Nguyễn Tiến Linh has been nominated for AFC International Player of the Week. — Photo AFC

Football

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese striker Nguyễn Tiến Linh has been nominated for the Asian Football Federation (AFC) International Player of the Week.

Although the Việt Nam national team lost the last two matches against China and Oman in Group B of the final qualifying round of the World Cup 2022, Linh scored two out of the three Việt Nam goals.

Linh's contribution has earned him selection for the best player nominations in the two last matches.

According to the AFC, Linh played 171 minutes, and had a successful pass rate of 79 per cent. 

“Still only 23 years of age, the Becamex Bình Dương striker showed expert positioning and poise beyond his years to find the back of the next in Doha and Muscat, taking his individual tally to an excellent seven goals on the Road to Qatar 2022,” the-afc.com wrote.

In addition to Linh, the AFC also nominated other nine top stars such as Son Hueng-min of South Korea, Sardar Azmoun of Iran, Salaah Al Yahyeai  of Oman, Ajdin Hrustic of Australia and Ao Tanaka of Japan.

The AFC’s poll will end today.

Linh also defeated Zhang Yuning of China to win the AFC’s recent vote for NEOM’s Future Stars of matchday three of the 2022 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifiers.

Linh has scored seven goals since the second qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup. With these seven goals, Linh equals the record of seven goals scored by former striker Lê Công Vinh in the World Cup qualifiers. He still has opportunities to break the record held by Vinh in the six remaining matches of the third qualifying round. VNS