Xuan Son unexpectedly becomes the savior for the Vietnam national team

With no striker in the Vietnam team capable of leading the attack, fans have to turn their attention to Xuan Son.

Xuan Son has been called back to the Vietnam national team this November. Although just returning from injury, the Nam Dinh forward is seen as the savior of the "Golden Dragon" attack at this moment. Whether they win by default against Malaysia or not, Vietnam still desperately needs a main striker, someone who can score crucial goals in the remaining two matches of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

Vietnam’s most recent match was a 1-0 victory over Nepal in the fourth round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Despite earning three points, the win under coach Kim Sang Sik’s leadership was far from satisfying, with only a single goal scored — an own goal. Against a much weaker opponent, Vietnam’s attack still faced significant difficulties.

After four matches in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers, Vietnam has scored a total of 9 goals, which is not too bad, but the number of goals from strikers is just one. The only striker who has scored for Vietnam in this tournament is Tien Linh, a forward with high expectations but only one goal so far.

Surprisingly, the top scorer for Vietnam in the qualifiers is actually a defender. Van Vi, with 3 goals, is the best scorer for the "Golden Dragon," while other players like Hai Long, Xuan Manh, Tien Linh, Quang Hai, and Chau Ngoc Quang each have one goal. Apart from Tien Linh, no other striker on the Vietnam team has managed to score at this time.

Therefore, Coach Kim Sang Sik’s decision to call Xuan Son back to the national team immediately makes sense. Xuan Son might not play or could only get a few minutes on the pitch, but his presence is crucial. The naturalized striker needs this period to regain rhythm with his teammates and recover his passion for football after nearly 10 months sidelined due to injury.

Vietnam will greatly need Xuan Son to quickly find his form as they face Malaysia in the final match in March. Before hoping for a default victory, coach Kim Sang Sik’s team must secure maximum points in the remaining two matches. Given the current form of Vietnam’s forwards, Xuan Son’s return can be considered a lifeline. Even if not at peak performance, his presence motivates other strikers to strive to perform their best.

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