Phan Văn Đức's timely return

Van Duc returns after 2 years.

Since being called up by coach Park Hang-seo to the Vietnam U23 team preparing for the U23 Asian Championship and later to the senior Vietnam national team, Phan Van Duc has always held a special place. To the point that many fans jokingly call him "Coach Park's favorite son" because he almost always automatically starts whenever he's fit. In reality, the midfielder, nicknamed Duc "Cort," is a particularly important player for the Vietnam national team. His first touch and optimal decision-making skills ensure the ball is always moved forward quickly. His stamina and endurance are especially helpful in both defensive duties and when needing to drop back to support the left-back. Diligently, he constantly contributes to both attack and defense, creating balance in the game and ensuring the Vietnam national team always has enough players in transitional situations.

Phan Van Duc (20) returning to the Vietnamese national team will bring many quality choices for coach Kim Sang-sik.

Unfortunately, a ligament injury sustained while playing for Hanoi Police FC (CAHN) kept Duc away from the Vietnamese national team for two years. It wasn't until August 23rd that coach Kim Sang-sik decided to call him up as a replacement for striker Van Toan, who hadn't recovered from his injury. Prior to that, on the evening of August 22nd, Phan Van Duc had an impressive start to the season, scoring the opening goal in the 3rd minute to help CAHN defeat Buriram United FC (Thailand) in the Southeast Asian Club Championship. Coach Kim must have regretted not being able to have Van Toan – whom he had predicted would start in his debut match in June. However, Phan Van Duc's return is expected to provide the 1976-born coach with another interesting option in his tactical approach.

Coach Kim Sang-sik has many options.

The Vietnamese national team is expected to officially assemble on August 30th, preparing for two important friendly matches against two teams with strong attacking lineups: Russia (September 5th) and Thailand (September 10th). This will also be a high-stakes test for coach Kim Sang-sik to assess the defensive capabilities of the team, which will see the return of key players making their debut under his leadership, such as Ngoc Hai, Thanh Chung, and Hong Duy. The biggest concern remains the left flank, currently occupied by Tuan Tai and Hong Duy. The return of Phan Van Duc, as mentioned above, is expected to create cohesion, especially the special understanding between the close friends Hong Duy and Van Duc. Despite a long period of injury, Duc's goal-scoring ability has not diminished significantly. Right from his return to the pitch last season, when coach Kiatisak brought him on in the 90th minute, he immediately scored against Thanh Hoa FC, and most recently, a beautiful shot from outside the penalty area that found the net against Buriram United FC.

Commentator Vu Quang Huy said: “At this time, Phan Van Duc's return is completely deserved, no one can question it. The V-League hasn't resumed yet, but CAHN Club just had an impressive victory in an important competition like the Southeast Asian Club Championship. In the match against Buriram United FC, his starting and scoring showed an impressive comeback. Phan Van Duc is still a high-level player, not too old, and always demonstrates the spirit to overcome obstacles to rediscover his best form. Certainly, the Vietnamese national team can make good use of his talent in attacking play, like the beautiful goal he scored on August 22nd.”

Furthermore, when needed, Van Duc can also relentlessly pursue opponents like a worker bee, providing better support for the left-back. Van Duc will add more options for the Vietnamese national team, and conversely, being called up by coach Kim Sang-sik will be a great encouragement for him personally. This training camp is like a comprehensive review of existing players, so that those who are still good and eager will be given opportunities, while those whose careers are declining can make way for younger, stronger players. I believe that in this positive atmosphere, Phan Van Duc will once again prove his worth.”

Thanhnien.vn

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/su-tro-lai-dung-luc-cua-phan-van-duc-185240823232032875.htm