The Vietnamese national team will play two matches in the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers this November. This will be the team's first official tournament under coach Philippe Troussier.
The French coach had eight months to select and test players to ensure the best possible preparation. Based on recent friendly matches, it is highly likely that Troussier has already formed the core lineup for the Vietnamese national team in the match against the Philippines.
In goal, goalkeeper Dang Van Lam will be the top priority. The Quy Nhon Binh Dinh player has many years of experience playing for the national team. His experience and ability to lead the defense will be very important in this tournament.
Que Ngoc Hai's return is good news for the Vietnamese national team.
Que Ngoc Hai's return to normal training is good news for the Vietnamese national team. Previously, coach Troussier lost Do Duy Manh due to injury. Thus, the team's three central defenders will be Que Ngoc Hai, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, and Phan Tuan Tai.
Que Ngoc Hai will play on the right wing. Viet Anh will play in the center. Tuan Tai will play as a left-sided center-back to maximize the ball distribution from the back.
On the right flank, after Truong Tien Anh was dropped, Vu Van Thanh, Pham Xuan Manh, and Ho Van Cuong are the three candidates. Van Thanh is likely to be chosen due to his good form recently. Xuan Manh is similar, but he showed that form when playing on the left wing of Hanoi FC's defense.
On the opposite flank, Vo Minh Trong is competing for a position with Trieu Viet Hung. Coach Troussier is placing a lot of faith in the player from Binh Duong Club. Minh Trong played in both matches against Uzbekistan and South Korea. This player has an advantage in speed compared to Viet Hung. Therefore, against a weaker Philippines team, this strength of the player born in 2001 will be an advantage.
In the center of midfield, Coach Troussier will prioritize experience. Therefore, Do Hung Dung and Nguyen Tuan Anh are the two best options. They also understand each other very well, having played together for many years under Coach Park Hang Seo.
With the two aforementioned options in midfield, Hoang Duc will be deployed as a forward, while also frequently dropping back to support the midfield in building up play.
Meanwhile, the two wing forwards are Nguyen Van Quyet and Pham Tuan Hai. Tuan Hai will play on the right but will tend to cut inside, taking advantage of the space created by Hoang Duc. Van Quyet brings fluidity and versatility to the team's left wing.
The match between the Vietnam and Philippines national teams will take place at 6 PM on November 16th at the Rizal Memorial Stadium.
Vietnam's expected lineup
Dang Van Lam, Vu Van Thanh, Que Ngoc Hai, Bui Hoang Viet Anh, Phan Tuan Tai, Vo Minh Trong, Nguyen Tuan Anh, Do Hung Dung, Nguyen Hoang Duc, Pham Tuan Hai, Nguyen Van Quyet.
Hoai Duong
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