A list of 35 players is made up by South Korean coach Park Hang-seo to prepare for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers in June. — Photo toquoc.vn
HÀ NỘI — Coach Park Hang-seo has called up 35 players to a training camp to prepare for the three coming 2022 World Cup qualifying matches.
Việt Nam will play Indonesia on June 7, Malaysia on June 11 and the hosts the UAE four days later in Dubai. They currently lead Group G with 11 points. Malaysia are second with nine and Thailand third on eight.
The South Korean coach on Tuesday selected four goalkeepers, 15 defenders, 10 midfielders and six forwards. Among them, there are many familiar faces such as defenders Quế Ngọc Hải and Đỗ Duy Mạnh, midfielder Nguyễn Quang Hải and strikers Nguyễn Văn Toàn, Nguyễn Tiến Linh and Nguyễn Công Phượng.
There was a comeback for defender Trần Đình Trọng, who has not been in the national team for about two years because of a knee injury, while Nguyễn Trọng Hoàng has also made the squad despite suffering a thigh injury that had been though bad enough to rule him out of contention.
Trọng and Hoàng, if they make the final 23-man travelling squad, will miss the first match due to suspension.
Midfielder Lý Công Hoàng Anh has been called up for the first time, while key defender Đoàn Văn Hậu and star midfielder Đỗ Hùng Dũng are both absent due to injuries.
Notably, Golden Ball winner and the V.League 1 2020's best player Nguyễn Văn Quyết also failed to make the squad.
Previously, the players were to spend eight days training and having a friendly match in Bình Định Province which has a similar climate to Dubai.
However, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the team will now train in Hà Nội from May 10-26 before Park shortlists 23 players to depart for the UAE.
They will have a final friendly match on May 31 in Dubai against Jordan. — VNS
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