Nguyen Van Toan has been sidelined from the remainder of the ASEAN Cup 2024 after sustaining a knee injury during Vietnam’s 5-0 victory over Myanmar at Viet Tri Stadium, Phu Tho, on December 21.
Van Toan was injured following a collision outside Myanmar’s penalty area in the 61st minute. He fell to the ground in visible pain and attempted to continue playing but was unable to do so. The striker was stretchered off the field and appeared emotional, seemingly holding back tears.
Medical examinations conducted this morning revealed a knee injury with signs of ligament damage. This type of injury typically requires an extended recovery period, leaving no chance for Van Toan to participate further in the tournament, which concludes in two weeks. This is not the first time Van Toan has had to prematurely exit the regional championship. In 2018, under coach Park Hang-seo, he also withdrew early from the AFF Cup due to an injury sustained during group-stage training.
While Van Toan has only scored once in this year’s tournament — against Laos in the group stage — his contributions have been significant. As a pivotal figure in coach Kim Sang-sik’s strategy, he formed a formidable partnership with naturalized striker Nguyen Xuan Son, particularly along the right flank. The two players share strong chemistry, stemming from their time together at Nam Dinh FC.
In yesterday’s match against Myanmar, Van Toan created key opportunities. In the first half, he set up a clear chance for Bui Vi Hao, who failed to convert. In the second half, he narrowly missed scoring twice. In the 47th minute, he unleashed a powerful shot from the edge of the box after receiving a backheel pass from Son, but the Myanmar goalkeeper made a crucial save. The rebound allowed Son to set up Vi Hao for the opening goal.
Shortly after, Son headed the ball to Van Toan, who broke free to face Myanmar’s goalkeeper. Under defensive pressure, Van Toan lost his balance and fell, but managed a shot that grazed the crossbar. Vietnam national team squad held a recovery training session this morning, with all players except Van Toan in good condition. The team is set to travel to Singapore on December 23 to prepare for the semifinals.
Van Toan is one of Vietnam’s most experienced players, having been part of the national team since AFF Cup 2016 alongside Dang Van Lam, Vu Van Thanh, and Bui Tien Dung. However, injuries have plagued his career, including absences during training camps in September and October of this year.
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