ESPN highlights Quang Hai as one to watch at Asian Cup
VOV.VN - Local midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai has been identified as a player to watch at the upcoming 2023 Asian Cup finals which are scheduled to take place in Qatar from January 12 to February 10.
According to ESPN’s sports website, Quang Hai remains the nation’s biggest talent and has a habit of shining on the big stage, just as he did at the last Asian Cup when he inspired his nation to reach the quarter-final stage.
The foreign media outlet also mentioned French coach Philippe Troussier who will be key if the Golden Star Warriors are to have a good result at the Asian Cup.
A veteran coach who has managed at two World Cups, Troussier took charge of Vietnam last March following the departure of the hugely-popular Park Hang-Seo who had previously guided the national team to the upper echelons of Asian football when they were one of 12 teams in the final round of Asian qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, ESPN wrote.
However, Vietnam have it all to do if they are to make it out of the group stage once again, although they have a habit for causing an upset and, with Indonesia a team they are fully capable of beating, they might just need one result against the other two Group D teams to sneak into the knockout round, the website reported.
The 2023 AFC Asian Cup will take place in Doha, Qatar, from January 12 to February 10 and will feature the participation of 24 teams. The teams are divided into six groups, with at the end of the group stage the top two teams in each group and the four best third-placed teams winning tickets to the round of 16.
Vietnam play in Group D alongside Japan, Indonesia, and Iraq. They are scheduled to take on Japan on January 14, Indonesia on January 19, and Iraq on January 24.
At the 2019 Asian Cup, Vietnam reached the quarter-final stage, eventually losing to Japan.
