U23 Vietnam Goalkeeper: No opponent is weak

Speaking before the match with U23 Laos at the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship, goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien was not at all subjective, saying that there was no weak opponent.

Goalkeeper Trung Kien answers questions before training session - Photo: ANH KHOA

On the evening of July 18, the Vietnam U23 team had its final tactical training session in Indonesia before playing the opening match of Group B of the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Championship against Laos U23 at 5:00 p.m. tomorrow (July 19).

Before the important training session, goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien had an interview with the media. The 1.91m tall goalkeeper will likely be coach Kim Sang Sik's number one choice for the match against U23 Laos.

Talking about his feelings before entering the tournament, Trung Kien shared: "My team and I are very focused, looking forward to tomorrow's match with the highest determination and best spirit. We consider all opponents the same. When entering the field, everyone plays with determination to achieve the best results."

"How do you rate the other competitors?", the reporter asked.

"There is no weak opponent. The most important thing is that we maintain good spirit to compete well. The whole team will try to overcome each match to achieve the best results," Trung Kien emphasized.

Goalkeeper Trung Kien on the training ground on the evening of July 18 - Photo: ANH KHOA

Coach Kim Sang Sik brought three goalkeepers to Indonesia, Trung Kien, Cao Van Binh and Nguyen Tan. Unlike Trung Kien who has been training with the Vietnamese national team for a while now and has not had a chance to play, Cao Van Binh and Nguyen Tan both train with the U23 team.

Both goalkeepers will be starting in the 2024 and 2025 CFA China Team International Friendly Tournament in China. Therefore, the choice of who will start in the 2025 Southeast Asian U23 Tournament can only be answered by coach Kim Sang Sik.

For his part, goalkeeper Trung Kien shared: "Personally, I always try to perform well. The difference between the three goalkeepers is not much. I also learned a lot from goalkeeper coach Lee Won Jae."

"In every training session, I see that the coaches have a lot of experience, having played in many big tournaments such as the World Cup. Therefore, I always feel that I am improving through each training session. At Hoang Anh Gia Lai Club, every time I go on the field is a lesson. And I am always determined when given the opportunity," he added.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thu-mon-u23-viet-nam-khong-co-doi-thu-nao-yeu-duoi-20250718205124672.htm