Ninh Binh Coach Unexpectedly 'Subtly Criticizes' Vietnam National Team Call-up Issue

After Ninh Binh's win against PVF-CAND in the National Cup, Coach Vu Tien Thanh delivered noteworthy statements related to the Vietnam National Team list.

Right after the opening whistle, Ninh Binh quickly demonstrated their determination by proactively controlling the match against PVF-CAND. The pressure materialized in the 29th minute when Truong Tien Anh delivered an awkward cross that deflected off a defender's leg, changing direction to open the scoring. However, this advantage did not last long as Eid seized an opportunity inside the penalty area to equalize 1-1 just five minutes later.

The evenly contested situation continued into the second half with thrilling developments. Geovane helped Ninh Binh regain the lead with a superb free-kick in the 67th minute, before Nguyen Vu Tin leveled the score at 2-2 in the 83rd minute. The climax arrived in the 90+3rd minute when Gia Hung scored the decisive goal after VAR intervention. But after the match, the focus was not solely on the victory but also on Coach Vu Tien Thanh's noteworthy comments regarding the Vietnam National Team call-up.

Speaking post-match, Coach Vu Tien Thanh could not hide his relief as the team ended their streak of non-winning matches: "I am very pleased because Ninh Binh has gone through a series of matches without knowing victory. How to relieve psychological pressure has always been a heavy issue. The players played with immense desire. PVF-CAND is a good team, and we anticipated this difficulty. Today's result is deserved to applaud the players."

Not stopping at professional matters, this strategist reaffirmed Ninh Binh's ambition in the National Cup is to reach the final. In V.League, despite the large gap with the top team CAHN, the ancient capital's team still aims to compete for the runner-up position to secure a spot in next season's Asian cup.

Notably, the preliminary call-up list for the FIFA Days training camp in March 2026 of the Vietnam National Team once included 5 Ninh Binh players (including Duc Chien), but was later adjusted and Gia Hung became the replacement name. This change inevitably caused internal concerns within the club.

He expressed dissatisfaction regarding the changes made after the initial list announcement: "I was surprised to see a preliminary list announced then not called. Even when there was a list of 5 goalkeepers, I received a call-up notice for Trung Kien at HAGL and wondered whether he would be officially included. The players have worked hard and performed well; you call as many players as you want, no country operates by calling a preliminary list then sending them back. The players would feel psychologically disappointed. I think that should not be done."

Aside from the debates, Mr. Thanh also emphasized professional factors, particularly the brilliance of Gia Hung - the decisive goal scorer."Gia Hung is a very promising forward. At that moment, bringing Gia Hung onto the field was better. In the previous match, substituting him resulted in a goal, this match was the same," he shared with full confidence.

Concluding the press conference, Coach Vu Tien Thanh praised his former student Ly Duc from PVF-CAND: "Ly Duc is a warrior, plays very well, agile. Without him, PVF-CAND could have lost even more goals today." Thus, the dramatic victory not only holds significance in terms of the result but also brings along thought-provoking stories beyond the pitch.