The dream debut of Vietnamese-American Damian Vu Thanh An

Midfielder Damian Vu Thanh An scored his first V-League goal, finding the net in The Cong Viettel's 3-0 victory over Ho Chi Minh City Police FC in the second round of the 2025-2026 V-League season.

Who is Damian Vu Thanh An?

Ho Chi Minh City Police FC suffered their first defeat in the V-League 2025-2026 season, losing 0-3 to The Cong Viettel in Round 2 at Hang Day Stadium on the evening of August 22nd (including one goal by Damian Vu Thanh An).

It was a completely convincing defeat for Coach Le Huynh Duc's team. Throughout the match, Ho Chi Minh City Police FC was unable to create any pressure. The visiting team succumbed to the pressure from the home side. With a superior midfield and attack, The Cong Viettel controlled the game and defeated their opponent thanks to goals from Pedro Henrique, Damian Vu Thanh An, and Lucao.

Among them, Thanh An's goal was a big surprise. The player of Vietnamese and Polish descent was only in his first season in the V-League, playing for a team like The Cong Viettel, which has fierce competition for both domestic and foreign players. Thanh An has speed, technique, and youth (22 years old), but is still unfamiliar with the Vietnamese environment and needs more strength to survive in a league that his coach, Velizar Popov, once described as "extremely fierce".

Damian Vu Thanh An scored a goal for The Cong Viettel.

PHOTO: MINH TU

Coming on in the second half, Damian Vu Thanh An quickly made his mark with a clever move, capitalizing on a miscommunication between Patrik Le Giang and Hong Phuc to score against Ho Chi Minh City Police FC. It was a moment of receiving a gift from an opponent's mistake, but it played a crucial role. The Cong Viettel doubled their lead, extinguishing any resistance from their opponents, and Thanh An had a dream start. Few overseas Vietnamese players score as early as this midfielder born in 2003, having his name on the scoreboard shortly after coming on.

Damian Vu Thanh An is one of the promising young talents that The Cong Viettel is cultivating. For a coach like Popov, who enjoys discovering and nurturing new talent, having players like Thanh An is like having a "treasure." Under the disciplined and demanding coaching of Popov, the Vietnamese-born player Damian Vu Thanh An, along with other young talents of The Cong Viettel, promises to continue to improve.

Besides Thanh An, Vietnamese-American center-back Kyle Colonna also played well in the victory against Ho Chi Minh City Police FC. The former Hanoi FC player was a replacement for center-back Thanh Binh (who suffered an injury) and he did not disappoint coach Popov. Throughout the 90 minutes, Colonna, along with Bui Tien Dung, neutralized the star-studded attack of Ho Chi Minh City Police FC. The visiting team only managed three shots on goal in the entire match, as their forwards were largely unable to break through Colonna's "wall".

Last season, the player of Vietnamese-American descent couldn't secure a place at Hanoi FC, as Thanh Chung and Duy Manh were playing reliably, and Colonna was only in his first V-League season at the time. However, having adapted to the living conditions and climate of Vietnam, and gaining confidence from good performances, Kyle Colonna remains a potential asset with his intelligent and refined defensive play.

With a squad of Vietnamese-born players in top form, combined with a blend of youth and experience, The Cong Viettel under coach Velizar Popov is a formidable title contender this season. The real test for Bui Tien Dung and his teammates will be the team's consistency, a factor that has hampered them in previous seasons. With their playing style gradually shifting from pragmatic to attacking, The Cong Viettel will be a team worth watching!

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/man-ra-mat-trong-mo-cua-viet-kieu-damian-vu-thanh-an-185250822220256813.htm