Vietnam left-back Nguyễn Văn Vĩ returned to Nam Định's starting line-up on 24 October after almost two months out injured and scored the last goal of a 4-0 win at Đồng Nai. Thanh Nien argues that the return of Văn Vĩ, Đoàn Văn Hậu and Nguyễn Thành Chung should give coach Kim Sang-sik a far sturdier defence than the one he took to the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026. Vietnam's Group E opponents at the 2027 Asian Cup, UAE, South Korea and Yemen, are all planning November friendlies.
Why the back line matters
Thanh Nien's numbers explain the concern. At the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, which ended in early October, Vietnam conceded 5 goals in 4 matches, or 1.25 goals per game, without centre-backs Văn Hậu and Thành Chung and left-back Văn Vĩ. The paper called their stand-ins, including Adou Minh, Ngọc Bảo and Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, disappointing, and noted that 7 of the 8 registered defenders were under 1.80m, with Việt Anh the only exception. In its view, Vietnam will rely mainly on defending deep and counter-attacking in Saudi Arabia, so a solid defence comes first.
The heights Thanh Nien listed for the four centre-backs it expects to form the core:
| Player | Height | Status, per Thanh Nien |
|---|---|---|
| Đoàn Văn Hậu | 1.86m | expected back for the Asian Cup |
| Việt Anh | 1.85m | in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 squad |
| Nguyễn Hiểu Minh | 1.84m | could recover in time |
| Thành Chung | 1.82m | recovered from injury |
Văn Vĩ's comeback, watched from Indonesia
Bongdaplus and Dan Tri both reported that Văn Vĩ had a goal ruled out on 74 minutes; Bongdaplus said the referee checked VAR and judged that Lâm Ti Phông was blocking the goalkeeper's view. In stoppage time the defender pressed, won the ball in the box and finished from a tight angle. Dan Tri said the 28-year-old was injured in the ASEAN Cup 2026 final, which ruled him out of the FIFA ASEAN Cup, and that he scored in Vietnam's 3-0 group-stage win over Indonesia at the ASEAN Cup.
That record explains the reaction in Indonesia. The outlet Super Ball, as quoted by Dan Tri and Bongdaplus, called him a goal-scoring nemesis of Indonesia's national team who had come back and scored straight away, and argued that Vietnam were clearly weaker without him and finished fourth.
What the Group E rivals are doing
Compiled by KBVN+ from Thanh Nien's report:
| Team | Recent form | November plans |
|---|---|---|
| UAE | Gulf Cup runners-up in September: beat Yemen 4-0 and Bahrain 3-0, drew 1-1 with Qatar, beat Oman 1-0 in the semi-final, lost 0-2 to hosts Saudi Arabia in the final | at least 1 friendly expected in the FIFA window |
| South Korea | coach Robert Moreno dealing with internal tension involving Son Heung-min and some team-mates | Saudi Arabia on 13 November and Qatar on 17 November, both in Doha |
| Yemen | out in the Gulf Cup group stage: lost 0-4 to UAE and 0-1 to Qatar, beat Bahrain 5-2 | Bahrain on 14 November and Malaysia on 17 November in Guangzhou, China |
Yemeni media, cited by Thanh Nien, say the Malaysia game matters because Malaysia are close to Vietnam in style and level, and Yemen hope it will help them find a way to contain Vietnam. They regard the meeting with Vietnam on 20 January as the key match for qualification.
What comes next
Kim returned to Vietnam on 24 October after a short break in South Korea that began on 18 October, and has assigned his staff to track all three opponents, Thanh Nien reported. The coach said the Asian Cup is the team's most important task of 2027 and promised better preparation than for the FIFA ASEAN Cup.
The next checkpoint is the November training camp; Bongdaplus called Văn Vĩ's recovery good news for Kim ahead of it. At the finals, Vietnam play UAE in Riyadh at 20:30 on 11 January 2027, South Korea in Riyadh at 17:30 on 15 January 2027 and Yemen in Jeddah at 20:30 on 20 January 2027 (Vietnam time). TV360 holds the broadcast rights. Camp dates and friendlies will appear on the Vietnam national team fixtures page.