Vietnam's U23 team receives unfortunate news from their record-breaking star.

Vietnam's U23 team suffers a personnel setback when key central defender Dinh Quang Kiet unexpectedly sustained an injury before the 0-1 loss to Thailand's U23, disrupting coach Dinh Hong Vinh's staffing plans.

Vietnam's U23 team has just received unwanted news as key central defender Dinh Quang Kiet suffered an injury right before kick-off, significantly impacting the coaching staff's personnel strategy.

At the CFA Team China Xi'an 2026 friendly tournament, Dinh Quang Kiet - the central defender who entered history by possessing the most impressive height in the Vietnam national team (1.95m) - made a strong impression by starting in the opening match against North Korea's U23. In that 1-1 draw, this player performed solidly in the center of defense, contributing to Vietnam's U23 standing firm against the opponent's pressure.

Quang Kiet's stable performance made coach Dinh Hong Vinh satisfied with the three-center-back system, where he played the "leader" role in the center, supported by Nguyen Hoang and Quoc Anh on the flanks. This was considered the optimal plan and was expected to continue in the encounter with Thailand's U23.

However, an unexpected incident occurred just before the match. According to information from Thanh Nien, Dinh Quang Kiet suffered an ankle injury while going outside for exercise. A seemingly harmless misstep on a doorstep left this defender unable to play.

This unforeseen incident forced the coaching staff to adjust the lineup at the last minute. Hai Anh was chosen to replace Quang Kiet in the central defender position, while Bao Long was also given a starting opportunity instead of Quoc Anh to further test personnel.

Despite entering the match with full determination against rival Thailand's U23, the young Vietnamese players soon faced adversity. Psychological pressure caused the defense to lack focus, and the unfortunate goal came quite early when the ball touched Bao Long's foot and changed direction into the net, and that was also the only goal of the match.

Currently, the injury status of Dinh Quang Kiet is being closely monitored by the coaching staff. With only two days of preparation left before the match against China's U23 (6:35 PM on March 31), the possibility of this defender recovering timely remains uncertain, posing a significant challenge for Vietnam's U23 defensive line.