The first Vietnamese national team player emerges eager to 'avenge' Malaysia

After securing the bronze medal alongside Vietnam U23 at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, goalkeeper Trung Kiên offered significant reflections on his past experiences and upcoming objectives in his career.

In an interview with Tuổi Trẻ Online, Trung Kiên expressed immense pride following Vietnam U23’s achievement of the Asian bronze medal, marking an important milestone in the young goalkeeper’s career. However, instead of resting on this success, Trung Kiên demonstrated a clear mindset about the path ahead.

Trung Kiên stated: “For now, I will return to training and focus on playing for Hoàng Anh Gia Lai club to meet the team’s goals. Secondly, I will strive to perform well to earn a spot on the Vietnamese national team to 'avenge' Malaysia after the defeat in the first leg of the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.”

Trung Kiên’s remarks quickly attracted attention, especially as Vietnam will host Malaysia on March 31 at Thiên Trường Stadium, in a crucial match of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. This game is vital for the team’s hopes to advance, particularly since Vietnam faces disadvantages in points and goal difference after a 0-4 loss in the first leg.

Notably, in this rematch, Vietnam will be without striker Đình Bắc, one of the standout players of Vietnam U23 at the recent Asian tournament. The 2004-born player received a direct red card in the 86th minute of the semifinal against South Korea U23 for a dangerous tackle. According to Article 48 of the AFC Disciplinary and Ethics Code, Đình Bắc is suspended for at least two matches.

Since he is overage to participate in the 2028 U23 Asian Championship, this suspension will apply to official matches of the national team, meaning Đình Bắc will definitely miss the match against Malaysia. Even if called up by coach Kim Sang Sik, he can only train with the team but cannot be registered to play.

Đình Bắc’s absence is considered a significant loss, as during the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, the CAHN striker made a strong impression. He assisted Quốc Việt to open the scoring and directly scored the second goal against South Korea U23 with a classy free kick before having to leave the field regretfully.

After returning to Vietnam with the U23 team on the evening of January 24, concluding an emotional journey at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship, Trung Kiên and his teammates will quickly return to their club routines. But for this goalkeeper personally, the goal is clearly set: to perform well in the V.League to open the door to the national team, aiming for the match that holds “honor and pride” against Malaysia.