Malaysian Fans Worried About Xuân Son Ahead of the Decisive Match Against Vietnam

Xuân Son's outstanding performance for Nam Định is attracting a lot of focus before the eagerly awaited encounter between the Vietnam and Malaysia national teams.

Nam Định’s 3-0 victory over Lion City Sailors on the evening of January 29 at the ASEAN Club Championship not only reinforced the standing of the Nam Định club but also caught the regional fans’ eyes on Nguyễn Xuân Son. At Thiên Trường Stadium, the naturalized striker once again proved his leadership with a sharp performance that directly influenced the outcome of the match.

Following Caio Cesar’s opening goal, Xuân Son responded at the perfect moment with a brace in the 61st and 90+3rd minutes. His positional sense, versatile finishing, and solid stamina continuously put the opposing goal under threat. Nam Định secured a convincing win, clinching a semifinal spot early and maintaining top position in the group.

This form quickly sparked reactions at the national team level, especially in Malaysia. On Malaysian football forums, many fans expressed concern about their defense facing Xuân Son in the upcoming Asian Cup qualifier against Vietnam on March 31. One fan admitted: "Our defense will be exhausted dealing with this guy; the coach should find a way to neutralize him immediately."

The worry did not stop there. Some opinions emphasized the squad factor, suggesting Malaysia needs all possible strategies to counter the in-form striker. "Hopefully, we will be allowed to field seven naturalized players in the next match; otherwise, stopping Vietnam’s team will be very difficult!", a comment that received widespread agreement.

What particularly impressed Malaysian fans was Xuân Son’s consistency after recovering from injury. "He’s even scoring more regularly than before his injury — truly remarkable,", one user wrote. This view inadvertently highlighted an impressive statistic: Xuân Son has scored eight goals in five official matches across all competitions since his return to play in November 2025.

Besides the goal tally, Xuân Son’s quality of play is also a concern. "Notably, the Vietnamese striker’s scoring ability is very comprehensive, posing a significant challenge to Malaysia’s central defenders." This comment clearly shows the opponents’ caution.

The Vietnam vs. Malaysia match is scheduled for March 31. Given Xuân Son’s current high form, Malaysian fans’ worries are understandable. However, there are also calls for optimism: "Vietnam’s national team is very strong, but hopefully Malaysia will perform well!"

Overall, Xuân Son’s outstanding form at this moment is heating up the atmosphere ahead of the upcoming match. With the two teams preparing to meet at the end of March, recent developments only make the game more eagerly anticipated.