Nguyễn Văn Quyết (right) competes in the friendly match between the Việt Nam national team and the U22 team on Wednesday. Photo bongda24h.vn

Football

HÀ NỘI — Forward Nguyễn Văn Quyết of Hà Nội FC was cautiously optimistic about his and the national team's progress after they pulled out a 3-2 victory in the friendly match between the national team and the U22 team on Wednesday.

The captain Quyết played the full 90 minutes and played well in connecting midfield and attack with sharp passes and scored one goal.

"I think both the national team and U22 Việt Nam need to work harder. I hope that coach Park (Hang-seo) will find new factors to help the U22 team compete well in the upcoming SEA Games,” said Quyết.

“For professional players, whether in the national team or club, it is always about fighting. This is the first time I have come back to the national team after two years. I always work hard to get a place in the team. In this match, I played with all my ability,” Quyết added.

South Korean coach Park revealed that Quyết wanted to play attacking midfielder instead of striker.

“I asked Quyết what position he would like to play and gave him the choice. There are many good players in this position, and Quyết must compete fiercely. He played in a position which he thought it was suitable for him. Modern football is played very quickly, from defence to fast attack. I think we will continue to observe and make adjustments,” said Park after the match.

Meanwhile, Nguyễn Hữu Thắng of Viettel was the most outstanding player on the U22 side with one goal and one assist.

"Both the team and I had a good spirit and tried our best in this match where we played against the seniors. It was a chance for us to hone our skills and gain experience. The whole team will continue to move forward. I want to thank the whole team that fought together in this match,” said Thắng.

The match at the Cẩm Phả Stadium in Quảng Ninh Province proved challenging for the national senior team and they even conceded the opening goal to their juniors.

“The senior team won 3-2 but conceded first. It was also a problem as the U22 team scored two goals. The U22 team have just returned to training. I think this is not the time to improve the organisation of the team, but only the time to find new factors. Although their technique isn’t good they scored first. They have a good spirit and will,” coach Park said.

“Of course, the senior team didn’t include the best players in this match. Anyway, this match helped me discover new talents,” he added. — VNS