Goalkeeper of U22 Vietnam: Fair or 'close the book'?

Not easy

Previously, the No. 1 position in the U22 Vietnam goal was almost automatically given to Trung Kien. The goalkeeper of HAGL possesses a solid foundation of experience in the V-League, has been called up to the Vietnam national team and is considered by many experts to be a "safe" model in goal.

However, things suddenly became more complicated when Cao Van Binh appeared and made a strong impression at the Panda Cup 2025. In the victory over U22 China, this goalkeeper's performance changed the entire perspective on the competition.

From reflexes, concentration to the ability to control the 16m50 area, the face from Nghe An shows confidence rarely seen in a goalkeeper only 20 years old.

It is worth mentioning that this performance was not a “momentary explosion”. Throughout previous youth tournaments, Van Binh has always been considered one of the most potential goalkeepers in Vietnam – having shone at U17, U20 and now continuing to mature at SLNA with a convincing starting position.

In terms of pure expertise, Van Binh is the most worthy opponent that Trung Kien has had to face in many years. His presence makes the No. 1 position in the U22 Vietnam goal no longer a "default" story as before.

But it may have been… closed.

However, the seemingly fierce competition showed signs of ending quite quickly. Despite his outstanding performance in the opening match of the Panda Cup, Van Binh was not used in the remaining two matches. Coach Kim Sang Sik instead put his full trust in Trung Kien.

From a professional perspective, Mr. Kim’s choice is not difficult to understand. Trung Kien is a “safe option”: rich in competition experience, stable in the last two seasons playing for HAGL Club.

But it is very likely that Trung Kien was chosen by coach Kim Sang Sik.

A more important detail: this goalkeeper has been given the opportunity to play for the Vietnamese national team, which shows that the coach highly appreciates the maturity of the goalkeeper born in 2003. In the context of the SEA Games only a few weeks away, it is completely realistic for coach Kim Sang Sik to prioritize proven players, instead of taking risks and experimenting. And it is this stable choice that is making many people believe that the "goalkeeper" position is almost... closed for Trung Kien.

The only question left now is: Will Van Binh continue to wait for his chance or break through to force Mr. Kim Sang Sik to change his decision? Because in football, especially in the goalkeeper position, a moment of genius is sometimes enough to turn the whole game around, like the way Dinh Trieu once took Nguyen Filip's place in the Vietnam team at the ASEAN Cup 2024, for example.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nguoi-gac-den-cua-u22-viet-nam-song-phang-hay-chot-so-2466485.html