Following a 2-2 draw with Thailand in the SEA Games, Vietnam is through to the semi-finals, but their remaining fixtures will be tougher without captain and star midfielder Quang Hai.
Despite going down 2-0 to biter rivals Thailand, and also missing a penalty, Vietnam pulled a remarkable comeback, with the game finally ending in a 2-2 draw. As a result, Thailand is now out of the competition, while Vietnam progress to the knockout stage, VnExpress reports.
Vietnam will now face Cambodia at 7pm on Saturday, while Indonesia will play Myanmar in the other semi-final, the news outlet added. What will make the knockout stage more challenging for Vietnam, however, is that they are likely to be without their captain and star player Quang Hai.
During a race with a defender in the match against Singapore on December 3, Quang Hai injured his left thigh and had to leave the game at the 23-minute mark, Tuoi Tre reports. The next morning, the midfielder was sent to Manila Doctors Hospital for an MRI scan, which showed a tear in Hai’s back thigh muscle and groin.
According to doctors at the hospital, these types of injuries typically need two to four weeks to heal. The team’s coaching board has confirmed that Hai won’t play in the team's match against Thailand today.
Hai is currently the U-22 team’s midfielder and captain. Hai is not currently being treated in a hospital, but by the Vietnam team’s doctor, Choi Ju-young. Although it is unlikely that Hai will be able to join any of the remaining SEA Games matches, Ju-young said that if his recovery goes well, there might be a chance that the star footballer could play in the last match if the team makes it to the finals.
