Thanh Chung is not in the best physical condition to play against Malaysia.

Thanh Chung is not in the best physical condition to play against Malaysia. Photo: Tam Minh .

“During the past period, I have been playing continuously without rest, so my physical condition has not reached 100%. But my competitive spirit is always 100% ready,” Thanh Chung shared with the media before the training session on the afternoon of May 7 of the Vietnam team.

The player from Hanoi is one of the important pillars of the Vietnamese team under coach Kim Sang-sik. He, together with Tien Dung and Duy Manh, has created a "steel wall" for the Vietnamese team in recent times.

However, in this training session, the 1997-born central defender suffered a slight muscle strain and had to practice separately for the first few sessions. Fortunately, he was able to return to normal training with his teammates and was ready for the important match against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup Qualifiers.

The Vietnamese team had their first training session in Malaysia on the afternoon of June 6. Despite the long flight and unsuitable training ground conditions, the players still tried their best to adapt to prepare for the match with the host team. The quick integration of the new players also brought positive signals to the whole team.

Thanh Chung and his teammates have a certain respect for their opponents. Photo: Tam Minh .

“Although the whole team had a long and tiring trip, when they arrived here, everyone felt comfortable. It was just a pity that the training ground yesterday was not very good, the amount of training was light so that the players could relax, so the whole team adapted well. Ly Duc, Van Toi and Cao Pendant Quang Vinh have all played in the V.League a lot, so they had no difficulty integrating with the Vietnam team,” Thanh Chung continued.

The match on June 10 is considered a direct competition for the ticket to continue in Group F. Therefore, Malaysia is also preparing carefully.

In the latest list, coach Peter Cklamovski announced 30 players to prepare for the match with the Vietnam team, including 17 naturalized players. This list will be shortened to 23 names before the official match day.

“My teammates and I watched some videos about Malaysia. They have many naturalized players that we have never faced before. However, no matter what formation they play, we are always mentally comfortable and give them a certain amount of respect,” the Vietnamese national team’s central defender expressed his respect for his opponent.