How is the Vietnam team without Xuan Son?

More diverse gameplay

On the evening of March 25, the Vietnamese team entered the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers with a match against Laos at Binh Duong Stadium. As a result, the red-shirted army crushed their opponents with 5 goals to nil.

Many opinions say that without Xuan Son, the Vietnamese team is still capable of winning a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup finals.

In this match, the Vietnamese team actively pressed from the start and almost did not give the opponent a chance to breathe. The central attacks or flank attacks based on the mobility of the full-back pair Van Vi and Truong Tien Anh also brought positive results.

It feels like the Vietnamese team can score at any time and from any position on the field.

The 5 goals (Chau Ngoc Quang, Van Vi (2 goals), Hai Long and Quang Hai) also came from different scenarios. Among them, there were close-range tap-ins, long-range shots, headers, solo shots and finishing shots or coordinated group attacks.

In the friendly match with Cambodia on March 19, the Vietnamese team also had an easy 2-1 victory thanks to goals from Hai Long and Van Vi.

This was a tough match and this victory could not please the fans. However, it was only a friendly match and there was no reason for Hoang Duc and his teammates to go all out to win big.

Although they did not win as expected, this was a match where coach Kim Sang-sik's players showed many new and unpredictable moves, which will bring long-term benefits to the team. This initial result has proven the ability of the Vietnamese team to score and control the match without Xuan Son.

Challenge or opportunity?

In mid-September 2024, striker Nguyen Xuan Son, who has Vietnamese nationality, was called up to the national team by coach Kim Sang-sik to prepare for the 2024 AFF Cup. However, it was not until the final match of the group stage against Myanmar that the Brazilian star met FIFA's requirements and was allowed to play.

Van Vi scored 2 goals in the match where Vietnam team won 5-0 against Laos.

Not disappointing the fans' expectations, the striker born in 1997 had a perfect debut for the national team when he scored 2 goals and had 2 assists. Although it was his first match for the Vietnamese team, Xuan Son played very confidently and showed that he was suitable for the team's playing style.

Since his debut for the Vietnamese national team, Xuan Son has overshadowed all other strikers in the region with his brilliant performances, including top attacking stars such as Patrik Gustavsson, Suphanat Mueanta (Thailand) and Shawal Anuar (Singapore).

Southeast Asian press all share the same opinion that "Xuan Son is the most classy and comprehensive striker in the region at the moment".

After witnessing that top-notch performance, many people believe that the Vietnamese team will find it difficult to "survive" without Xuan Son, especially in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.

The view that Xuan Son's absence weakens the Vietnamese team's attack is not wrong. This is not only measured by statistics but also by perception.

Like in the first leg of the 2024 AFF Cup final against Thailand. At that time, the Vietnamese team's style of play was to defend tightly and find a way to push the ball up to Xuan Son and the rest was his "show". In this match, the star player of Nam Dinh Club tormented the "war elephant" defense with his strength, mobility, technique and diverse finishing ability.

Closing 90 minutes at Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho), Xuan Son scored 2 goals and he also became the first player in the history of Vietnamese football to score a double against Thailand in a final match.

But that doesn't mean the Vietnamese team can't play without Xuan Son.

In the second leg of the 2024 AFF Cup final against Thailand, the star player of Nam Dinh Club suffered a serious injury and left the field in the first half. However, the Vietnamese team still won 3-2 right at Rajamangala Stadium thanks to goals from Tuan Hai, Hai Long and Pansa Hemviboon's goal.

Not dependent on one individual

According to coach Phan Thanh Hung, the Vietnamese team has changed and improved in the two matches against Laos and Cambodia. The team's ability to control the ball and attack has improved significantly.

"Although Xuan Son is not present in these matches, the team still plays very effectively and emphasizes collective strength. Playing football like this is more reassuring than depending on an individual. Many players and positions on the team can score goals at this time, so it cannot be said that the team only depends on Xuan Son," Mr. Hung assessed.

Vietnam also fell into a not-so-hard group in the final qualifying round of the 2027 Asian Cup, only facing Laos, Nepal and Malaysia. Of these, only Malaysia is considered a worthy opponent for Quang Hai and his teammates.

But it must be added that Malaysia has been declining in recent years and their elimination from the group stage of the 2024 AFF Cup is the clearest proof of that.

"Although Malaysia is still a formidable opponent and a tough test for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team, with rising confidence and quality personnel, everything is probably still within our control," Mr. Hung added.

A sports expert also shared that without Xuan Son, the team has Nguyen Tien Linh with extensive experience, good finishing ability, who has been a savior in many big matches; Nguyen Dinh Bac - a young talent, with outstanding speed and personal technique, promising to bring a new breeze. Coach Kim Sang-sik also emphasized changing the playing style to adapt to each opponent, not depending on one individual.

"Therefore, we have every reason to believe that, even without Xuan Son, the Vietnamese team is still fully capable of winning a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup finals," the expert confidently said.

At the AFF Cup 2024, although he only played 5 matches, Xuan Son scored 7 goals and contributed greatly to helping the Vietnamese team win the championship. Also in this tournament, he was honored as the Best Player and also received the title of Top Scorer.

In addition, the 28-year-old star also made history as the player who scored the most goals for the Vietnamese team in an AFF Cup.

Also at this tournament, Nguyen Xuan Son broke his tibia and fibula. He is expected to be out of action for about 9 months and will definitely miss the rest of the 2024-2025 season.

Source: https://www.baogiaothong.vn/tuyen-viet-nam-the-nao-khi-thieu-xuan-son-192250328140744859.htm