Foreign player suspended, another star mysteriously 'disappears' at Thanh Hoa

Thanh Hoa FC is missing Abdurakhmanov Odilzhon due to suspension, while Rimario Gordon continues to be absent, putting the team in a difficult position ahead of their away match at Hai Phong.

Thanh Hoa FC continues to face squad selection challenges ahead of round 14 of V-League 2025-2026 as they are simultaneously missing two notable foreign players. For their away trip to Lach Tray Stadium against Hai Phong on March 1st, the Thanh region's team will not have the services of Abdurakhmanov Odilzhon due to suspension, while Rimario Gordon remains "absent without a trace" on the pitch for many consecutive rounds.

The case of Abdurakhmanov Odilzhon is the most evident loss. The Kyrgyz midfielder has received a total of 3 yellow cards since the start of the season and must miss one match as per regulations. The third card came in the 82nd minute of the 1-3 loss to Cong An Ha Noi on February 24th, ending the 1996-born player's streak of 13 consecutive appearances.

Despite not scoring, Odilzhon remains a crucial link in Thanh Hoa's playing style. He started 11 out of 13 matches, demonstrating relentless activity in midfield and is highly valued by the coaching staff for his competitive spirit. In a context where other foreign players have left or are unavailable for various reasons, the consistency of the player wearing jersey number 77 was one of the team's rare pillars of support.

Odilzhon's suspension places coach Mai Xuan Hop in a tough spot, as no other foreign player is eligible to play. Thanh Hoa can currently only register the bare minimum of 16 players for the technical meeting. If this number is not secured, the team risks being handed a 0-3 defeat by default according to the regulations.

Simultaneously, a major question mark continues to loom over the future of Rimario Gordon. The striker confirmed he is still with Thanh Hoa and training normally, but has been missing from the match squad for the last three rounds. Silence from the club has further fueled speculation about potential internal issues.

The predicament of personnel shortage is not new for Thanh Hoa. In their rescheduled round 10 match, they once had to push reserve goalkeeper Y Eli Nie up to play as a striker just to field enough players. Given the current turmoil, that makeshift scenario could very well repeat itself at Lach Tray, where Thanh Hoa enters round 14 with a fragile squad and more concerns than ever.