With the nimble grace that he inherited from his father and the conviction on the big stage of his mother it’s little wonder that Dang Van Lam has risen to prominence as a star goalkeeper.

Born in Russia to a Vietnamese father who was a ballet dancer and a Russian mother who was an actress, the imposing 25-year-old gained his football education in Moscow before honing his craft back in his father’s homeland.

Having risen through the youth ranks at Russian giants Spartak Moscow and Dynamo Moscow, Van Lam is now a regular for V.League powerhouse Hai Phong and is also an established senior international in one of Southeast Asia’s strongest nations but he admitted it was tough at first to make the transition between the two countries.

“The first time when I came to Vietnam it wasn’t easy because life in Russia and Vietnam is different and there is some difference in mentality but I love this country the same as Russia and I’m trying to learn and do everything to have a good life in Vietnam right now.”

He’s certainly doing everything right from a football perspective with Vietnam yet to conceded a single goal in their three Group A matches.

A point tomorrow at home to already eliminated Cambodia will secure the Golden Stars progression through to the semifinals but Van Lam cautioned against taking the Angkor Warriors lightly.

“Cambodia is a good team with fast players, very fast, and they can attack starting from the defence and it won’t be easy for our team.

“However, we are ready for the game and it’s our home game so we’re preparing to have a good game and take the three points before we can go deeper in the tournament.”

Given the strength that Vietnam have displayed defensively thus far in the tournament it looks at times as though the custodian has had little to do but he’s full of credit for those in front of him for making his job easier.

“People who aren’t on the pitch can say that I’ve had it easy but it’s not like that because as a goalkeeper you must always concentrate because if you don’t concentrate for even one second you can concede a goal.

“Of course in my team we have good defenders, the best defenders in Vietnam, so we’re trying to do our best game by game.”