Coach Kim Sang-sik clearly needs Nguyen Cong Phuong. The Korean coach abandoned his plan to watch the match between Hanoi and Hanoi Police to watch Binh Phuoc face Ho Chi Minh City Youth in the National Cup.
The striker born in 1995 is the one that coach Kim Sang-sik needs to directly check.
After only 5 minutes on the field, Mr. Kim had the opportunity to applaud Cong Phuong. Receiving a pass from Le Van Nam, Cong Phuong rushed in and finished with a beautiful one-touch shot to open the score for Binh Phuoc. More than 20 minutes later, he had another powerful shot in the penalty area but the ball did not go in the right direction.
Has coach Kim Sang-sik felt less worried? The answer is yes, but… not significantly. Because the two shots mentioned above were all the striker born in 1995 could do during his time on the field.
Cong Phuong played behind Le Thanh Binh. He tried to enter the penalty area but was blocked by two opposing defenders.
When playing wide, he lacks the stamina and speed to apply pressure. Even when receiving the ball and starting ahead of the opponent, Cong Phuong still does not make a difference. If it were not for the opening goal, Cong Phuong's performance would have been quite lackluster.
Here, there is no intention to put down Cong Phuong. Many fans, even those who “tease” this striker on social networks, hope he will shine. Cong Phuong is different from any other player in Vietnamese football. He always brings emotions in a very natural way.
When the clock struck the 58th minute, coach Nguyen Anh Duc took Cong Phuong off the field to make way for Sy Giap. Many people felt regretful because they wanted Cong Phuong to score more goals. From the perspective of a coach, the Binh Phuoc captain understood that Cong Phuong could not do anything more and he should rest.
Two failed seasons in Japan left too many consequences for Cong Phuong's career. It seems that the former Hoang Anh Gia Lai player still needs more time to find himself again.
