Former U23 Vietnam goalkeeper shines brilliantly on his V-League comeback.

Phi Minh Long emerged as the standout player with multiple incredible saves, helping secure PVF CAND’s debut win in the league.

In the match against SLNA, goalkeeper Phi Minh Long made numerous crucial stops for PVF CAND, even managing to block seemingly impossible shots.

Especially in the final stoppage minutes, the players from Nghe An pushed hard and had clear chances to score, but Phi Minh Long remained outstanding, denying their attempts and ensuring the win for his side.

After the match, Phi Minh Long shared his thoughts: “Honestly, I didn’t expect myself to play so exceptionally in the opening game of the season. Maybe the cool, rainy weather before the match helped me feel fully charged, so I was able to perform with such energy.”

“Before facing SLNA, we only hoped to earn a single point, but surprisingly we got all three, so the whole team was ecstatic. Luckily, SLNA was a manageable opponent; if we’d faced a much stronger team in the opener, it would have been tough. Since PVF CAND is a newcomer and we didn’t have much time to prepare, we’ll just try our best one game at a time.”

He also revealed that in the season’s first match, many younger teammates felt some pressure playing in the V-League for the first time, but for him, it was pure excitement as his long-held dream finally came true.

It’s known that Phi Minh Long came from Hanoi FC’s talented youth ranks, but after not getting enough opportunities, he joined PVF CAND in recent seasons. Playing in the V.League was always his goal, and it was even more surprising when PVF CAND received a special spot in Vietnam’s top football division.

In the next round, PVF CAND will travel to face Hai Phong. This opponent is not considered too difficult, giving coach Thach Bao Khanh and his squad a good chance to seek another win. Despite being newcomers, PVF CAND can be confident thanks to their young talents and quality foreign players.