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Cong Phuong missed the match again due to injury. Photo: Tam Minh . |
When the list of Vietnam team preparing for the match against Malaysia was announced, many fans had high expectations for Cong Phuong's return. With his proven class, experience and good form, the striker born in 1995 is considered an option for coach Kim Sang-sik to patch up the lackluster attack.
But just a few days later, Cong Phuong said goodbye to the team due to a foot plantar fasciitis. Cong Phuong, once again, had to stop before he could even start. Cong Phuong may no longer be at his peak, this is true. But in the context of Xuan Son, Van Toan, Vi Hao being injured, or Tien Linh's form declining, the name Cong Phuong still more or less creates an emotional support. He may not be a starter, but he always has the ability to create breakthroughs when the team needs to change the game.
Unfortunately for Cong Phuong, this is not the first time he has missed an appointment with the national team due to unavoidable reasons. In 2015, Cong Phuong broke his hand bone during a training session with U23 Vietnam. In 2016, he broke his shoulder bone during a match with U23 Vietnam at the U23 Asian Cup. For the first time, Cong Phuong had to leave the field in tears.
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Fans regret when Cong Phuong leaves the Vietnam team. Photo: Phuong Thuy. |
Every time he started to make an impression, Cong Phuong had physical problems. In 2020, the Nghe An striker broke his toe. Then, Cong Phuong suffered a groin injury in 2022 when he was in top form at HAGL. Joining Yokohama FC, Cong Phuong suffered ankle and calf injuries at the same time, causing him to be remembered for not being able to play all season. Earlier this year, the former HAGL star injured his thigh muscle while playing for Binh Phuoc . Now, just after returning and being named in the national team, Cong Phuong is injured again.
For many players, injuries are a matter of course. But for Cong Phuong, a highly-anticipated talent with a technical and innovative playing style, each injury is like a cut of scissors that cuts short his career. He is not the type of player who relies on physique or strength. Cong Phuong's form is always accompanied by a sense of the ball, flexibility and confidence, things that can disappear after just a few weeks on the sidelines.
Once an inspiration for a generation after the 2013 U19 Southeast Asian tournament, Cong Phuong has now quietly left the Vietnamese team in the middle of the training session. No noise, no statements, just a name crossed off the list as he has done several times in the past.
People often ask, “What else does Cong Phuong have to contribute?”, but perhaps the real question is: “When will Cong Phuong be healthy enough to contribute fully?”. A full 90-minute match, an uninterrupted journey with the team, an unbroken expectation, fans are still waiting, as if they have been waiting for a long time.
Source: https://znews.vn/buon-cho-cong-phuong-post1558101.html
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