Vietnam striker Phuong among ones to watch in AFC Champions League

Six players selected by AFC are Phuong, Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta of J1 League club Vissel Kobe, Thai midfielder Chanathip Songkrasin, Australian midfielder Mathew Leckie, Japanese midfielder Jun Amano, and Montenegrin forward Dejan Damjanovic, the most prolific goal scorer in the history of AFC Champions League.

Nguyen Cong Phuong (R) is amongh six other players to watch in the 2022 AFC Champions League. Photo by the Asian Football Confederation

"Still only 27, Vietnam striker Nguyen Cong Phuong can check off Japan, South Korea and Belgium as destinations on his football journey but his debut in the AFC Champions League will come with the club that his career began with as a 12-year-old: Hoang Anh Gia Lai," AFC wrote.

Phuong made his debut for HAGL in 2015 before loan spells at Japanese club Mito HollyHock, South Korea’s Incheon United and Belgian club Sint Truiden.

"Having scored in the 2020 AFC Cup, Cong Phuong will be looking to add to his tally at the confederation’s premier club stage," the site added.

HAGL are the only representative of Vietnam in the ACL this year. The club are in group H with South Korean champions Jeonbuk Huyndai and Australian club Sydney FC. All group H games will be hosted in Ho Chi Minh City. The first game between HAGL and Yokohama will take place on April 16.