Vietnam National Team's No. 1 Center Back Delivers Unfortunate News to Coach Kim Sang Sik

A back injury puts center back Bùi Tiến Dũng at risk of missing the match against Nepal on October 9, forcing Coach Kim Sang Sik to reconsider the defensive lineup for the Vietnam team.

According to the coaching staff, center back Bùi Tiến Dũng – captain of the Viettel Football Club – suffered a back injury before joining the Vietnam national team camp and is still in recovery. Born in 1995, he has not been able to resume training, so his participation in the first leg match against Nepal in the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, scheduled for October 9 at Gò Đậu Stadium (Bình Dương), remains uncertain.

On the afternoon of October 7, the Vietnam team held their third training session at Gò Đậu Stadium to prepare for the match against Nepal. Notably, after the first two sessions were open to the media, Coach Kim Sang Sik requested a closed training session to allow players to focus on tactical drills. Through this session, the Korean strategist will also evaluate personnel options, especially how to build the defense if Bùi Tiến Dũng is absent.

In the defensive system implemented by Coach Kim Sang Sik, Bùi Tiến Dũng plays a crucial role. At the 2024 AFF Cup, he appeared in 7 out of 8 matches, playing a total of 586 minutes — the highest across the five AFF Cups he has participated in. In recent matches against Cambodia (friendly) and Laos (2027 Asian Cup qualifiers), the Viettel defender was still a starter, reflecting the coaching staff’s strong trust in him.

Bùi Tiến Dũng’s performance at his club this season has also been quite consistent. He has effectively led the defense and delivered accurate long passes, contributing to creating attacking opportunities. Many experts believe this is the most refined phase of the Hà Tĩnh defender’s career, possibly even surpassing his peak under Coach Park Hang Seo.

If he does not recover in time, Bùi Tiến Dũng’s absence will pose a significant challenge to Vietnam’s defense. Earlier, in the match against Malaysia during the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers in June, he was substituted early in the second half just before the team conceded the first goal, highlighting the center back’s vital role in maintaining defensive stability.

According to the schedule, Vietnam will face Nepal twice in the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. The first leg will take place at 7:30 PM on October 9 at Gò Đậu Stadium (Bình Dương), and the second leg at 7:30 PM on October 14 at Thống Nhất Stadium (Ho Chi Minh City). Fans are hopeful that defender “Dũng tư” will recover in time to participate, helping the team strengthen their defense ahead of these critical matches.