Football

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam welcome back their supersub after injury, while Kyrgyzstan face a key absence for a pivotal Group A match at the AFC U23 Asian Cup on January 9 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Super substitute Nguyễn Thanh Nhàn has returned to full training after receiving treatment for a torn calf sustained during Việt Nam’s training camp ahead of the tournament. He lost the race against time to regain fitness and missed the opening match against Jordan on January 6.

However, Nhàn was seen training with his teammates on Thursday and is expected to join Việt Nam’s AFC U23 Asian Cup campaign from Friday.

The striker has become an important player for Kim Sang-sik, often coming off the bench to score crucial goals for Việt Nam in various tournaments, including the final of the 33rd SEA Games last month.

Việt Nam opened their campaign with a persuasive 2-0 win over Jordan to top the group. A second victory over Kyrgyzstan would secure a place in the knockout stage for the Southeast Asian champions.

Speaking to reporters, midfielder Nguyễn Thái Sơn, one of Việt Nam’s standout performers in the first match, said the team had been asked to give more than 100 per cent to win the upcoming game.

“Honestly, I didn't show my best in the Jordan match. I was a bit overconfident sometimes. I will try to improve and do better in the next ones," said Sơn.

“During training sessions and the match, our coaches constantly reminded us to play fast, manage the ball decisively and move forward more. Otherwise, it would be difficult to control the game.

"Teams at the continental level are taller, stronger and faster. My teammates and I have to push ourselves beyond our limits in every match to achieve the best results.”

Asked about Việt Nam's spirit after their win over stronger Jordan, Sơn said the team were pleased with a smooth start, which provided strong motivation but was not an end point.

“We will remain 100 per cent focused, train well and reproduce our style of play and the spirit we showed in the next match. Our opponents in this group are on equal terms, but we are determined to win one game at a time and secure progression," he said.

On the other side, Kyrgyzstan sit third after a 1-0 defeat to the hosts in their opening match.

The Central Asian side need a win to stay alive in the tournament on their debut. However, the absence of midfielder Arsen Sharshenbekov will make the task tougher.

Sharshenbekov was sent off for stamping on Abdulaziz Al Elewai's ankle following a VAR review.

He has represented the national team since 2023. In the qualifiers, he featured in two matches and scored once. He also provided assists and scored goals in friendly matches against Russia, Iran and Bahrain ahead of the finals.

Without this key player, Kyrgyzstan’s midfield is expected to lose rhythm and creativity, leaving it more vulnerable to counter-attacks.

In their most recent meeting three years ago, Kyrgyzstan edged a 1-0 win in a friendly.

Iranian referee Payam Heydari will officiate the match, which kicks off at 9pm at King Abdullah Sports City Hall Stadium. — VNS