Tiến Linh 'defied orders' by leaving the field against Coach Kim Sang-sik's plan

Tiến Linh was about to be substituted off at the 82nd minute in the match against Nepal, but an unexpected event led to him staying on until the end, with Coach Kim Sang Sik’s approval.

At the 82nd minute in Binh Duong Stadium, when the substitution board was raised, Coach Kim Sang Sik planned to bring Đức Chiến and Đình Bắc on to replace Duy Mạnh and Tiến Linh. Seeing the substitution signal, Tiến Linh immediately moved to the sideline, greeted his teammates, and prepared to leave the pitch. However, everything changed suddenly within seconds.

Right by the sideline, the 1997-born forward noticed teammate Lê Phạm Thành Long showing signs of injury, unable to continue playing. Linh quickly informed the coaching staff about Thành Long’s condition. After hearing this, Coach Kim Sang Sik immediately revised the substitution decision and asked the assistant to notify the fourth official to change the substitution plan.

Instead of substituting Tiến Linh as planned, Coach Kim decided to keep him on the field and substitute Thành Long and Duy Mạnh instead. “Tiến Linh reacted very quickly and showed responsibility towards his teammates. I respect and agree with that decision,” Coach Kim Sang Sik shared after the match.

Thanks to this flexibility, Thành Long avoided having to continue playing while physically unfit. Vietnam finished the game with a 4-3-3 formation, with defenders Xuân Mạnh and Đức Chiến holding the defense, preserving a 3-1 victory over Nepal. With 6 points after 3 matches, Kim Sang Sik’s team remains second in Group F, closely trailing Malaysia, who also won 3-0 against Laos at the same time.

In the stands, the moment of surprise on Tiến Linh’s face when seeing the substitution board was fully captured by cameras and quickly spread on social media. Many mistakenly thought the Ho Chi Minh City Police FC striker was upset about being substituted, but in reality, he was just confused by the sudden change.

“I did not react negatively. I was just a bit surprised because I wasn’t sure if I was going to stay on the field or not,” Tiến Linh briefly shared after the match. The forward not only scored the opening goal but also played the full 90 minutes, playing a significant role in the team’s victory.

On his personal page, he posted a smiling photo with the caption: “Continuing the journey ahead.” This positive image somewhat put an end to all misunderstandings about the widely shared moment on social media.

The Vietnam national team will travel to Ho Chi Minh City on October 10 to prepare for the return match against Nepal at Thong Nhat Stadium on October 14. The goal of Coach Kim Sang Sik’s squad is nothing less than securing 3 points to keep hopes alive for early qualification to the 2027 Asian Cup.

Related articles

Thailand unexpectedly drops in rankings despite big win Thailand won 2-0 against Taiwan at Rajamangala Stadium on October 9 but surprisingly fell to third place in Group D of the final round of 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers due to losing on head-to-head goal difference. See more