Football

Goalkeeper Nguyễn Filip is expected to shine at the 2023 Asian Cup. — Photo courtesy of Hà Nội Police FC

HÀ NỘI — An injury to Việt Nam's first choice goalkeeper, Đặng Văn Lâm has opened doors for Nguyễn Filip, who is eager to make a valuable contribution after recently receiving his Vietnamese passport to make him eligible to play for the national team.

The Vietnamese team recently convened over the weekend to commence preparations for the 2023 Asian Cup. After medical examinations, three players, Lâm, Nguyễn Đức Chiến, and Nguyễn Thanh Nhàn, have not fully recovered from their injuries and will not be able to join the team for the continental event. It is expected to take approximately three more weeks for them to resume training.

In light of this, head coach Philippe Troussier excluded them from the team, prioritising their well-being and allowing them ample time to rest and regain their optimal condition. The aim is to reunite in March 2024 for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Lâm's absence is particularly disheartening since he has been the team's No 1 goalkeeper under Troussier's guidance.

Born in 1993, Lâm from Bình Định Club was in excellent form in the V.League 1 before sustaining the injury during the match against Hải Phòng on December 27, where he had to leave the field during the second half.

Lâm was also the national team's primary goalkeeper during the tenure of South Korean coach Park Hang-seo. Together, they secured victory in the AFF Cup 2018, reached the quarter-finals of the 2019 Asian Cup, and advanced to the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup for the first time in Việt Nam's football history.

Việt Nam's top goalkeeper, Đặng Văn Lâm, has unfortunately been forced to withdraw from the Vietnamese national team due to an ongoing injury. — Photo laodong.vn

In the absence of Lâm, Troussier has the option to call up goalkeeper Nguyễn Văn Việt from the U23 team while consider another strong performer in the V.League 1, Trần Minh Toàn, of Bình Dương.

It is expected that the goalkeeper position will be entrusted to Filip of Hà Nội Police Club, who possesses significant experience playing in Europe.

Filip has acquired Vietnamese citizenship and spent eight years competing in the Czech Republic national championship before signing a three-year contract with the Police. He had notable stints with Slovan Liberec and Slovacko clubs, including earning the title of the best goalkeeper in the Czech Republic while playing for Slovan Liberec. He also participated in two seasons of the Europa League group stage.

The Vietnamese team are currently training at the Việt Nam Youth Football Training Centre in Hà Nội. They will depart for Qatar on January 5 for further training and have a friendly match against Kyrgyzstan on January 9.

The 2023 Asian Cup finals will be held from January 12 to February 10, featuring 24 teams divided into six groups, with the top two teams from each group and the four best third-place teams advancing to the round of 16.

Việt Nam are placed in Group D and will face Japan on January 14, Indonesia on January 19, and Iraq five days later.

As a reward for participating in the Cup, the team will receive a bonus of US$200,000 from the Asian Football Confederation. If they reach the semi-finals, the prize money could increase to $1 million. The runner-up team will be awarded $3 million, while the champion team will receive $5 million.

In the previous two editions of the tournament in 2007 and 2019, Việt Nam performed admirably by reaching the quarter-finals. VNS