China U22 makes a surprising decision for the match against Vietnam

China U22 is expected to not have a full squad for their first game against Vietnam U22 on November 12.

On November 12, the Vietnam U22 team led by coach Đinh Hồng Vinh will play their opening match at the 2025 Panda Cup friendly tournament against the host China U22 team.

To prepare for this match, the red-shirted squad will have only one training session on November 11 while the players have not yet fully gathered. It is likely that coach Đinh Hồng Vinh will be without key players from Hà Nội, CAHN, and Hà Tĩnh, including Văn Trường, Đình Bắc, Lý Đức, Minh Phúc, and Viktor Lê, who may miss the debut due to late arrivals.

Conversely, China U22 will also be missing some of their best players against Vietnam U22. Specifically, because the men’s U20 football tournament at the National Sports Games is still ongoing, key players like Kuai Jiwen, Liu Chengyu, Li Xinxiang, and Zhu Pengyu might not be available for the national U22 team’s first match against Vietnam.

“Therefore, in the first match against Vietnam, the national U22 team will likely mainly feature players born in 2003/2004. Additionally, Vương Bác Hạo, a player called up for the first time, along with some previously reserve players, may also get playing time in this match,”163.com reported.

The article also praised Vietnam U22 ahead of the match: "The Vietnam U22 team has a very strong squad, with 14 players believed to have previously represented the Vietnamese national team. Their overall strength has significantly improved since the Diêm Thành Four Nations Tournament in March. Winning the opening match will be a major challenge for the China U22 team.”

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