Vietnam football star requires second surgery

By Hoang Nguyen September 13, 2021 | 05:42 pm PT

Doan Van Hau in a training session of the national football team on May 29, 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Lam Thoa

Star defender Doan Van Hau will have to undergo a second surgery for his knee injury, with an earlier inaccurate diagnosis affecting treatment and recovery, doctors say.

Before the first two games in the final round of World Cup qualifiers that took place in early September, Hau had returned to his club, Hanoi FC, to get his injuries treated. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus in his right leg have been damaged.

According to Hanoi FC’s medical team, Hau's injuries weren't diagnosed accurately earlier and this affected treatment has well as the recovery process.

Hanoi FC is consulting with the medical team of Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) to prepare a treatment plan for Hau in order to get him fully fit and playing again.

Hau is the second Hanoi player with a prolonged injury, after Tran Dinh Trong, who has been struggling since early 2019 with different injuries including ACL and muscle strain.

In May 2021, before Hau was called up to the national team to prepare for the second round of World Cup qualifiers, the Promotion Fund of Vietnamese Football Talent Academy (PVF) warned VFF about using Hau while he was still recovering. They recommended that he undergoes specialized training for four weeks before playing any matches.

He was used in three games of the second round in June and his injuries resurfaced later.

Hau's first surgery was conducted in HCMC in December last year. The second is likely to take place in South Korea.