Hot Vietnamese football news today 24/7: Van Lam and Tai Loc absent from match against Timor Leste; Dinh Bac among most watchable young players in ASEAN Cup

Latest Vietnam football update 24/7: Van Lam and Tai Loc out of Timor Leste game; Dinh Bac named among must-watch young players in ASEAN Cup

Van Lam, Tai Loc absent from match against Timor Leste

Vietnamese-born goalkeeper Dang Van Lam and naturalized striker Nguyen Tai Loc did not take part in the final training session of the Vietnam national team before the match against Timor-Leste at the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

The Vietnam team completed a familiarization session at Chonburi Stadium (Thailand) on the afternoon of July 23, wrapping up their preparations before the opening match against Timor-Leste in Group A of the 2026 ASEAN Cup, scheduled for 8:30 PM on July 24.

The session lasted about an hour with a focused but relaxed atmosphere. The coaching staff mainly helped players get used to the pitch while reviewing final tactical options before the opener.

After a 4-0 friendly win over Myanmar, the Vietnam team is brimming with confidence in their quest to defend the Southeast Asian championship.

Coach Kim Sang Sik is likely to use a familiar core with key players like Nguyen Xuan Son, Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Quang Hai, and Nguyen Dinh Bac, who has just been rated by regional media as one of the most promising young talents in the tournament.

With a clear superiority in class, the Vietnam team aims to take all three points against Timor-Leste to build momentum for their ASEAN Cup 2026 campaign.

Dinh Bac among top 5 most watchable young players in ASEAN Cup 2026

Striker Nguyen Dinh Bac is the only Vietnamese representative on the list of five most watchable young players at the 2026 ASEAN Cup, selected by Singapore's Straits Times.

The 22-year-old striker is enjoying a purple patch in his career. After helping Vietnam U23 finish third at the 2026 AFC U23 Championship and winning the Golden Boot, Dinh Bac continues to prove his worth for Hanoi Police FC and the national team. He also scored in coach Kim Sang Sik's side's 4-0 friendly win over Myanmar ahead of the ASEAN Cup 2026.

Dinh Bac possesses speed, the ability to create breakthroughs, and is increasingly refined in his finishing. The 2004-born striker is expected to play a key role in Vietnam's attack as they defend their Southeast Asian title.

Besides Dinh Bac, the list also includes Seksan Ratree (Thailand), Joao Pedro (Timor-Leste), Arif Aiman Hanapi (Malaysia), and Ikhsan Fandi (Singapore). These are all players considered capable of making a difference at the 2026 ASEAN Cup.

Nam Dinh unveils second overseas Vietnamese player

Thep Xanh Nam Dinh FC continues to strengthen its squad for the 2026/27 season by officially announcing the signing of Canadian-Vietnamese defender Tyler James Thai Crawford. This is the second overseas Vietnamese player the southern club has unveiled in recent days, following defender Reece Minh-Kai.

Tyler James Thai Crawford was born on March 9, 2004, and plays as a left-back. According to the club's introduction, the player of Vietnamese-Canadian descent possesses good physical foundation, ball control, modern football thinking, and can support attacks effectively with accurate crosses.

Before returning to Vietnam, Tyler developed in youth systems in Canada and the United States, which emphasize speed, strength, and tactical discipline.

The signing of Tyler James Thai Crawford is seen as part of Nam Dinh's youth-oriented strategy ahead of the new season. The arrival of the 22-year-old defender is expected to increase competition on the left flank and provide additional options for the coaching staff.

SLNA and The Cong Viettel reach U21 national final

U21 Song Lam Nghe An and U21 The Cong Viettel will face each other in the final of the 2026 National U21 Championship – FPT Play Cup after overcoming their opponents in the semifinals.

In the first semifinal, U21 Song Lam Nghe An faced U21 Hanoi in a balanced and exciting contest. After a 1-1 draw in regular time, the Nghe An side showed more composure in the penalty shootout, winning 4-3 to become the first team to book a spot in the final.

U21 The Cong Viettel continued to show their strength with a 2-0 victory over U21 LPBank HAGL. The military team controlled the game well and efficiently capitalized on chances to score two goals, thereby securing a convincing spot in the final.

The presence of U21 Song Lam Nghe An and U21 The Cong Viettel in the championship decider is considered a deserving result, as both have maintained consistent form and possess many promising young players.

The final promises to be an exciting clash between two of the most traditional youth academies in Vietnamese football.