The U23 goalkeeper unexpectedly becomes a strong candidate for the starting position in the Vietnam national team

Due to Filip Nguyễn's injury, Trung Kiên has gained an additional chance to be the starting goalkeeper for Vietnam's national team.

As previously reported, goalkeeper Nguyễn Filip has been diagnosed with a groin muscle injury and will be sidelined for two months to recover. This means he will miss all upcoming matches with the Police team and the Vietnam national team during this period.

Coach Mano Polking was forced to substitute Nguyễn Filip at the 72nd minute of the CAHN vs Macarthur match because the player re-injured himself and could not continue playing. In the post-match press conference, the German-Brazilian strategist revealed that the Vietnamese-origin player had been in pain for several days but still tried to start the game.

Therefore, Filip Nguyễn will definitely miss the match between Vietnam and Laos in November as part of the 5th round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. This will be his third consecutive absence from the Vietnam national team, having also not been called up for the previous two matches against Nepal in October.

The competition for the starting goalkeeper spot against Laos in November will again be between Trung Kiên and Văn Lâm, given Filip Nguyễn's injury and Patrik Lê Giang's pending naturalization. Trung Kiên currently holds the advantage with a more consistent performance, good foot skills, and is also the first-choice goalkeeper for Vietnam U23.

Against a weaker opponent like Laos, the Vietnam national team does not need to worry too much about the goalkeeper position. Additionally, the U23 Vietnam team will participate in the 33rd SEA Games in December. This could be the main reason why Trung Kiên is prioritized to continue starting for the national team to prepare well for the SEA Games.

Previously, Trung Kiên made his debut for the Vietnam national team in the 4th round match against Nepal and showed a fairly solid performance. Although Văn Lâm plays well in the V-League, his footwork remains a weak point. Therefore, with Filip Nguyễn injured, this is a perfect opportunity for Trung Kiên to continue as the starting goalkeeper for Vietnam.