Chung Nguyen Do races against time to make the U23 Vietnam squad

Vietnamese-origin midfielder Chung Nguyen Do has just two V-League games left to earn points with coach Kim Sang Sik.

Once considered a blockbuster signing and highly anticipated upon his return to Vietnam, Vietnamese-origin midfielder Chung Nguyen Do (Tran Thanh Trung) soon faced doubts about his abilities. In both pre-season friendlies for Ninh Binh FC that he participated in, he was substituted early and struggled to perform due to heat exhaustion.

As a result, many believed that Chung Nguyen Do would find it difficult to shine in the V-League, a competition known for its toughness even for high-caliber foreign players. However, in his official debut for Ninh Binh, the young talent who previously played in Bulgaria delivered an impressive performance in the final 15 minutes of the match.

Chung Nguyen Do was brought on in the 76th minute when Ninh Binh was being held 1-1 by Ha Tinh and under constant pressure. Yet, in just over 15 minutes on the field, the Vietnamese-origin midfielder completely changed the course of the game.

With Chung Nguyen Do on the pitch, Ninh Binh’s ability to break the press became much smoother. The midfielder helped the team build up play more effectively and allowed Hoang Duc to push further forward. His passes were purposeful and demonstrated excellent tactical awareness.

Chung Nguyen Do also contributed a key pass with a lightning-quick ball before two Ha Tinh players could close in. Receiving that pass, Hoang Duc made a brilliant through ball for Pham Gia Hung, who broke away to face the goalkeeper and score.

The 2025/2026 V-League will pause after round 3 to allow U23 Vietnam to prepare for the 2026 AFC U23 Asian Cup qualifiers. This means Chung Nguyen Do has two more matches to impress coach Kim Sang Sik and hope for a call-up to the U23 squad. In other words, he is truly racing against time.