Striker Nguyễn Văn Tùng is ready for the SEA Games 32 in Cambodia. — Photo danviet.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI — Excitement is building as the Vietnamese U22 team prepares to take on their Southeast Asian rivals in the upcoming SEA Games 32 in Cambodia. Among the 24 players selected by Coach Philippe Troussier, two rising stars are causing a stir - Nguyễn Văn Tùng and Bùi Vĩ Hào.

While the core of the U22 team remains the same as the squad that competed in the 2023 Doha Cup, these two new "weapons" on the attack line are expected to bring a fresh dynamic. With Tùng and Hào standing at over 1.80m, their height and skills will surely give the team an edge in the Games.

Although they were absent from the Doha Cup due to injury and club commitments, Tùng and Hào have been working hard to make their mark in the national team.

As the opening match against U22 Laos on April 30 draws near, Troussier will reduce the squad to 20 players, and all eyes will be on these two promising strikers to see how they fare against their opponents.

Tùng was born in 2001 and was a member of the U23 Vietnamese team that won the 31st SEA Games gold medal last year under the guidance of the South Korean coach Park Hang-seo. He then reached the quarter-finals of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2022 with coach Gong Oh-kyun.

Hào was born in 2003. He is a key player of Việt Nam in the AFC U-23 Asian Cup 2023. He is one of the most experienced players of the Vietnamese national U22 team playing in the V.League 1 when he often appears in the official line-up of Bình Dương in the national top-flight league.

More importantly, the duo will help the Vietnamese team to play more diversified. Tùng is a typical striker and often scores in the penalty area, then Hào often works wide and has skilful handling.

Previously, coach Troussier had only two main strikers on the list for the 2023 Doha Cup: Nguyễn Quốc Việt and Nguyễn Thanh Nhàn. However, they have a limited height, so Việt Nam often pushed midfielder Nguyễn Văn Trường (1.80m) to play in the centre position.

If Tùng and Hào lead the attack in the upcoming Games, Trường can return to his midfield position and help the midfield strengthen the physical strength as well as the ability to deploy the ball.

The appearance of Tùng and Hào not only helps coach Troussier have more quality players but also helps him have systematic changes in the squad and tactics of Việt Nam in the journey to defend the SEA Games gold medal. — VNS