Midfielder Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong: U22 Vietnam will beat Malaysia

(NLDO) - Preparing for the decisive match for the top spot in Group B of the men's football SEA Games 33, midfielder Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong is confident that he will win with U22 Vietnam.

Midfielder Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong is a player of the Ho Chi Minh City Police Club and for the first time in his career he will be participating in the SEA Games with the Vietnam U22 team. However, the striker born in 2004 showed confidence and determination before the match with Malaysia U22.

Quoc Cuong said the whole team is very focused and determined to aim for 3 points in the match against Malaysia. “Coach Kim and the whole team have a common goal of winning. We are preparing very carefully and looking forward to the match with the highest spirit” - the 21-year-old player affirmed.

Participating in the SEA Games for the first time, Quoc Cuong revealed that his personal goal is to train and compete at the highest level whenever given the opportunity. “What I expect is to perform well when I have the opportunity to enter the field and contribute to the team’s biggest goal of winning the 33rd SEA Games gold medal,” he said.

Quoc Cuong is the cousin of player Nguyen Cong Phuong, one of the most prominent stars of Vietnamese football. This relationship also helps Quoc Cuong have the motivation to contribute to the national U22 team.

“Cong Phuong is the pride of me and my family. He always encourages me and points out my shortcomings so that I can improve. Being able to wear the U22 Vietnam shirt to participate in the SEA Games is a great honor for me,” Quoc Cuong shared.

When asked about the statement from the Indonesian coach when he was concerned that Vietnam and Malaysia might “collude” to eliminate Indonesia, Quoc Cuong affirmed that U22 Vietnam only has one goal, which is to win. He emphasized: “I watched the match where Indonesia lost to the Philippines. For me personally and the whole team, the match against Malaysia has no concept of a draw. We aim for victory!”

Explaining the “key” for U22 Vietnam to play well, Quoc Cuong said: “First of all is attitude and determination. If the attitude is not good, it will be difficult to play. In the past few days, the whole team has been very united, that is the most important thing.”

Quoc Cuong’s strength is his dangerous long-range shots. The player of the HCM City Police Club added: “If I have the chance, I really want to try it. Scoring a goal from long range or any other way is still scoring for the team.”

"The more difficult it is to succeed, the more valuable it is. We thank the Vietnamese Embassy in Thailand for supporting the team a lot" - Quoc Cuong said about the team's difficulties during the 33rd SEA Games.

U22 Vietnam will have a decisive match with U22 Malaysia on December 11. A victory will help coach Kim Sang-sik and his team enter the semi-finals as the top team in Group B and may not have to face host Thailand in this round.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tien-ve-nguyen-thai-quoc-cuong-u22-viet-nam-se-thang-malaysia-196251209200500079.htm