Vietnam national team to play Chinese Taipei and Kyrgyzstan at Thien Truong Stadium

The Vietnam national team will play two international friendlies against Chinese Taipei and Kyrgyzstan at Thien Truong Stadium during the November FIFA Days. The plan is part of preparation for the Asian Cup 2027, after the team finished the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026. Head coach Kim Sang Sik sees this as a chance to evaluate the squad, test young players and create a different image for the team. The pair of opponents was chosen on a soft-then-hard logic. Chinese Taipei, ranked around 150th in the world, is suitable for rotation and giving opportunities to new players. Kyrgyzstan, a Central Asian side with good physicality and organization, is around the 100th band. This sequence creates a reasonable measuring scale: an easy match to regain touch, a difficult match to test endurance and stability. Choosing Thien Truong Stadium is also deliberate. Vietnam beat Malaysia 3-1 there, so it is seen as a spiritual fortress. In a generational transition phase, playing at a familiar venue reduces pressure and helps young players express themselves. Kim Sang Sik has stressed the development of young players. He wants to build a national team with a better combination between generations, not just chase short-term results. Experts regard this as a tactical message, not a media statement. The team needs a new generation to inherit, while veterans keep a leadership role. The four returning players are Nguyen Xuan Son, Nguyen Thanh Chung, Nguyen Van Vi and Nguyen Quang Hai. Xuan Son, a naturalized striker, can change the attacking structure, turning a fluid style into a model with a target man as the focal point. Quang Hai remains the midfield leader, while Thanh Chung and Van Vi add defensive depth. If Xuan Son is not fully fit, the coaching staff can bring him on from the bench. The V-League has played only about 6-7 rounds before the camp. That short span makes form evaluation difficult. Kim Sang Sik needs to follow the league, but limited data may reduce opportunities for new faces. Returning veterans have an advantage because they do not need to prove themselves from scratch. Both matches are in the official FIFA window, so V-League clubs must release players according to regulations. This mechanism gives the team a full squad. In addition, results of FIFA-recognized friendlies affect ranking points and seeding in major tournaments, so every match has strategic value. The biggest risk is Xuan Son's fitness. The striker has had a serious injury, and a relapse could disrupt the plan. The dense schedule from the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026, the November camp and the Asian Cup 2027 also creates pressure. Without proper workload management, key players could be overloaded. Public pressure is moderate. Fans expect the team to beat Chinese Taipei because the opponent is weaker. A poor result could trigger disproportionate criticism. The media should make clear that friendlies are for experimentation, not for a single result. The dressing room is considered stable. Nguyen Quang Hai is a professional and spiritual anchor for younger players. Kim Sang Sik holds the final say on personnel and playing style. Combining the experience of veterans with the energy of the younger generation is the central challenge. If solved, the team will be both competitive and sustainable. The friendly announcement was written in a neutral style, with no emotional exaggeration. However, the phrase about a different appearance from the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 shows an expectation of renewal. The previous tournament seems to have left unfinished feelings. Therefore, these two matches have the function of resetting expectations, with low risk but a clear opportunity to prove a new identity. Choosing Kyrgyzstan shows Vietnam is not only aiming at ASEAN. The Central Asian opponent plays a physical style, close to the West Asian or Central Asian teams in the Asian Cup. Meanwhile, Indonesia is rising through naturalized players, putting pressure on Vietnam's top position in ASEAN. Kim Sang Sik's approach based on youth development is different. On finance and transfers, no information was published. This is an article about the national team, not a transfer or commercial contract story. Therefore, any speculation about budgets, wages or transfer fees is unfounded. The principle is not to fabricate information when data is unavailable. Details such as kickoff times, match order and the official squad list still await VFF confirmation. Some sources place Thien Truong Stadium in Ninh Binh, while the name is often linked to Nam Dinh, so the location needs to be checked. Even so, the direction is clear: Vietnam are entering an important preparation phase with reasonable challenges and added personnel. The two matches at Thien Truong will be a stepping stone before the Asian Cup 2027. Overall, these friendlies are not mere procedure. They are a final filter for personnel before the Asian Cup 2027 approaches. The performance of new players will help Kim Sang Sik shape the squad framework. For fans, this is a chance to see a different Vietnam, younger and more cohesive. Success or failure in the scoreline matters less than the team finding a common voice.