Golden moment of Cong Phuong

Cong Phuong scored the only goal for U23 Vietnam. Photo: Hai Ho .

On the evening of July 29, in the 37th minute of the 2025 U23 Southeast Asian final, the ball bounced out of the U23 Indonesia penalty area. In that chaotic moment, Nguyen Cong Phuong did not hesitate. The 19-year-old midfielder's powerful and decisive right foot shot the ball through the opponent's legs, straight into the net, bringing the only goal to help U23 Vietnam win the championship.

A golden moment in the young man's first major tournament at the U23 level. A turning point in his career is also an emotional affirmation of Cong Phuong's return journey after nearly half a year of absence from the national youth teams.

No one thought that the “youngest son” of the U23 Vietnam team would be the one to decide the final match. Looking back at Phuong’s journey, it is a story of perseverance and quiet development.

After the defeat of the Vietnam U20 team in the regional finals, the name Cong Phuong almost “disappeared” from all youth level training sessions. But not because of decline. On the contrary, he is being trained in a harsher environment: V.League.

The Viettel The Cong wanted Phuong to devote all his attention to the first team in V.League. Every minute of playing was an opportunity for him to learn and grow. And the 18-year-old player did not disappoint the trust of the coaching staff and fans.

In the 2023/24 season, Cong Phuong played 19 times. In the 2024/25 season, he continued to have 16 more matches and made his mark with 2 assists. Impressive numbers for the midfielder born in 2006.

That perseverance helped Cong Phuong return to the Vietnam U23 team in the preparation campaign for the U23 Southeast Asian tournament. He passed two screening rounds to be named in the official list of 23 players.

Initially, Cong Phuong was just a reserve option. But then, he was the one who created a turning point in the match against U23 Cambodia in the group stage. Entering the field in the second half, Cong Phuong used his speed to get past the opponent's defender, passing the ball to open the goal to seal a 2-1 victory for U23 Vietnam.

That was when coach Kim Sang-sik started to pay more attention to this student. In the semi-final match against U23 Philippines, Cong Phuong was the starting player on the right wing. He played enthusiastically, constantly participated in the attacking combinations and created at least 2 clear opportunities.

Cong Phuong was absent from youth teams. Photo: Hai Ho.

Then the final match against U23 Indonesia became the stage for Cong Phuong to shine. It was the first time he started in a high-level match for the national team.

Not at all nervous or shaken by the pressure of tens of thousands of home fans, Cong Phuong played calmly and coolly. And then, at the 37th minute, he appeared at the right time to score a historic goal.

Nguyen Cong Phuong was born in 2006 in Hai Duong (now Hai Phong City). He started playing football at the age of 9 at the Hai Duong Football Center. At the age of 12, Cong Phuong was recruited by the army team to the club's youth training center. Here, he gradually showed his outstanding qualities with smooth techniques, sharp tactical vision and the ability to control the tempo of the match.

In 2023, Cong Phuong was the captain of the Vietnam U17 team at the U17 Asian Cup finals. At the National U17 tournament that same year, he won the double title of "Best Player" and "Top Scorer". It is his comprehensiveness in both expertise and competitive spirit that makes Cong Phuong a special factor in the eyes of coaches.

Now, at the age of 19, Cong Phuong is no longer a potential talent. He has made his name in the history of Vietnamese youth football with the valuable goal that brought U23 Vietnam to the championship for the third time in the U23 Southeast Asian tournament. Cong Phuong is writing his own journey, a journey of rising through relentless efforts.

The moment of celebration in the corner of Bung Karno Stadium after scoring the only goal against U23 Indonesia will probably follow Cong Phuong throughout his career. It was not just a goal, but a declaration that the young midfielder was ready to step into the light.

The only goal helped U23 Vietnam win the Southeast Asian championship. On the evening of July 29, the U23 Vietnam team defeated Indonesia 1-0 in the final of the 2025 Southeast Asian tournament held at Bung Karno Stadium.

Source: https://znews.vn/khoanh-khac-vang-cua-cong-phuong-post1572636.html