Tien Linh suffered a knee injury last weekend in the V-League, but he still joined the national team training camp. After one day of rehabilitation with medical staff at the hotel, he resumed light running and recovery exercises at Go Dau Stadium on March 13. According to the number 22 striker, his injury is not serious, and he is expected to return soon.
“I just need a few more days of recovery training with the medical staff before resuming normal practice. Hopefully, I will be fit in time for the two upcoming matches,” he said before training. “Other teammates with minor injuries, like Quang Hai and Dinh Thanh Binh, will also return soon. We hope to contribute to the team in this campaign.”
Tien Linh is one of four forwards called up by Coach Kim Sang Sik, alongside Bui Vi Hao (Binh Duong), Pham Tuan Hai (Hanoi), and Dinh Thanh Binh (Ninh Binh). However, he expressed his disappointment over the absence of Nguyen Xuan Son, his trusted strike partner at the 2024 ASEAN Cup. The naturalized striker had played a key role in assisting and winning penalties, allowing Tien Linh to score four goals in Vietnam’s championship-winning campaign.
“Xuan Son’s absence is unfortunate and a big loss for Vietnam. That’s why we need to step up and take on his role in the team, especially in the upcoming two matches,” Tien Linh shared.
In 2024, Tien Linh performed impressively for Binh Duong and continued scoring consistently for Vietnam, earning him the Vietnam Golden Ball award for the first time. He currently leads the V-League 2024/2025 top scorer chart with 10 goals. The striker joined the national team training camp in a relaxed and positive mindset, further boosted by the strong team spirit.
“We are all in a great mood as we prepare for these crucial Asian Cup qualifiers. The squad is showing good chemistry and solid fitness after recent V-League matches,” he added.
Vietnam is in Group F of the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, alongside Nepal, Malaysia, and Laos. After the opening match against Laos, Coach Kim Sang Sik’s team will face:
- Malaysia (away) – June 10, 2025
- Nepal (home) – October 9, 2025
- Nepal (away) – October 14, 2025
- Laos (away) – November 18, 2025
- Malaysia (home) – March 31, 2026
Vietnam aims to advance from the final qualifying round and qualify for their third consecutive Asian Cup, following their appearances in 2019 and 2023. In 2019, Vietnam qualified as one of the best second-placed teams from a group featuring Jordan, Afghanistan, and Cambodia. In 2023, they secured an early spot through their third-round finish in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
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