Pham Thanh Luong

HA NOI (VNS) — Two Vietnamese players have been nominated for the ASEAN Football Federation-Suzuki Cup 2014 Best Player Award in an online contest organised by the Malaysian edition of goal.com.

Midfielder Ngo Hoang Thinh, 22, is placed second among six nominees. The Song Lam Nghe An player is highly valued for his combative and highly energetic play in a team that prizes efficiency in passing and movement.

His flicks and passes are aimed at overcoming the opposition in the least amount of time. Thinh passes the ball with such ease and dexterity that the oppositions midfielders have no time to react. His stamina and endurance make him a tireless workhorse, while his ability to outrun, outmuscle and outshoot his opponents leave them surprised.

The website goal.com called him the Lynchpin.

Ngo Hoang Thinh — Photos goal.com

His teammate Pham Thanh Luong is nicknamed the Winged Wonder, and is placed fifth in the list of nominees.

Luong is one of Viet Nam's main attackers and specialises in terrorising the left flank. The player with the maximum crosses in the tournament thus far, his delivery is deadly accurate and his range of passing makes him a constant danger.

A member of the 2008 team that lifted the Suzuki Cup, Viet Nam's first senior title, the Ha Noi T&T midfielder is considered a veteran who leads by example, twice winning his country's Player of the Year title in 2009 and 2011.

The 26-year-old caused many problems for the defence of the Indonesian, Laos and the Philippines teams.

Charyl Chappuis of Thailand is leading the poll with 38.2 per cent of the votes. His teammate Chanathip Songkrasin is placed second with 23.6 per cent.

Two other nominees are Safiq Rahim of Malaysia and Phil Younghusband from the Philippines.

Only three players will be shortlisted as the finalists. — VNS