The number one goalkeeper of U23 Vietnam receives a flood of praise upon returning to the V-League.

Goalkeeper Trung Kiên earned compliments from coach Lê Quang Trãi after aiding HAGL in their victory over SHB Đà Nẵng.

On the evening of February 1st, following Hoàng Anh Gia Lai FC’s narrow 1-0 win against SHB Đà Nẵng in round 12 of the 2025/26 V.League, coach Lê Quang Trãi expressed his satisfaction openly. The coach specifically praised the young goalkeeper Trung Kiênfor his outstanding performance and significant contribution to securing the valuable 3 points for the mountain town team.

During the press conference, Mr. Trãi commented that his players showed great determination. Though HAGL did not fully control the match, they knew how to capitalize on opportunities and maintain focus throughout the entire 90 minutes. He described this as a victory of team spirit, where every position fulfilled their role well.

The biggest highlight was in goal. Trung Kiên consistently made timely interventions, dominated the penalty area, and handled aerial balls confidently. His maturity boosted the confidence of HAGL’s defense, significantly easing pressure during Đà Nẵng’s attacking phases. “Kiên spread confidence among his teammates,” Coach Quang Trãi noted.

From a technical standpoint, he also pointed out the difference between the two teams. Đà Nẵng has many foreign players, naturalized players, and Vietnamese expatriates, but that doesn’t guarantee an absolute advantage. While HAGL had recently played a cup match and kept their rhythm, their opponent had a long break and lacked match sharpness, resulting in a slow start.

On the field, HAGL showed discipline and knew how to protect their lead after scoring. They prioritized tight defense, fought hard in midfield, and waited for counterattack chances. Although they didn’t create many spectacular plays, this pragmatic approach proved highly effective.

This win significantly improved HAGL’s position on the standings with 11 points, creating a safe gap from the bottom group. However, Coach Quang Trãi emphasized that the journey ahead is still long and the whole team must keep their spirit, especially maintaining Trung Kiên’s consistent form, if they want to go further in this season’s race.