Beating Nepal 3-1 is not enough, Vietnam still misses the difference Xuân Son made

Despite a 3-1 win over Nepal in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, Coach Kim Sang Sik remains unsatisfied as Vietnam wasted numerous scoring chances – a sign that the team still lacks a true “finisher” like Xuân Son.

The 3-1 victory against Nepal gave Vietnam 6 points after three matches, keeping pace with Malaysia in Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Although dominating possession with 75% control, launching 24 shots and 10 on target, Coach Kim Sang Sik’s squad still failed to fully reassure fans about their ability to capitalize on opportunities.

After the match, the Korean coach frankly admitted: "Although we had many shots and should have scored more, three goals is still a success. We need to be more precise in finishing to score more goals.". This reminder accurately reflects the reality on the field: Vietnam’s attack was relentless and controlled the game’s tempo, but lacked composure in the final touches.

According to statistics, the red-shirted team made 704 passes – nearly three times as many as their opponents. Despite such dominance, the result only materialized into three goals. Meanwhile, Nepal managed a consolation goal with just 2 shots and 1 on target. Clearly, despite the win, Vietnam’s finishing remains a concern to address before the return match on October 14 at Thống Nhất Stadium.

In this context, fans increasingly miss Xuân Son – the naturalized striker who used to be the team’s main spearhead. After more than 9 months of recovering from an injury sustained in the second leg final of the 2024 AFF Cup, Xuân Son recently shared good news that he can now train in one-on-one drills with teammates at Nam Định Club. The image of the 1997-born player actively training shows his recovery is progressing faster than expected, opening the possibility of a comeback in 2025.

Coach Vũ Hồng Việt confirmed that Xuân Son will miss the first half of the 2025/2026 V-League season to complete his rehabilitation. With support from Brazilian fitness expert Dilson Neto, Nam Định not only helps Xuân Son regain fitness early but also improves the entire team’s conditioning with the goal of competing among the V-League’s top teams.

Although Xuân Son’s current transfer value has dropped to only 650,000 Euros according to Transfermarkt (down 50,000), his return is still seen as a major hope for both Nam Định Club and the Vietnam national team, especially as the national team’s attack lacks a striker who can consistently convert chances into goals.

When Xuân Son returns, will Vietnam’s attack become sharper and finally solve the finishing problem that Coach Kim Sang Sik has been concerned about?