Asian football expert: ‘With each passing match, Xuan Son takes on a new level’

“The Vietnamese team almost has one hand on the championship trophy”

The final first leg at Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho) on the evening of January 2 witnessed a reasonable position of the Vietnamese team. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team proactively gave the game to Thailand, played defensive counter-attack and only held the ball 36% but were the team with more chances to score. According to statistics of the specialized site Optathe Vietnamese team launched 21 shots, 9 times more than Thailand. In terms of the number of shots on target, the “Golden Star Warriors” also outperformed Thailand: Vietnam had 9 shots on goal while the opponent only had 3 times. Therefore, the 2-1 victory in favor of the Vietnamese team was completely deserved.

“The final first leg of the 2024 Southeast Asian Football Championship took place extremely attractive. And the Vietnamese team almost got their hands on the championship trophy after winning 2-1 against Thailand right at Viet Tri Stadium,” journalist Gabriel Tan expressed in an article on ESPN Asia.

With a double goal against Thailand, striker Nguyen Xuan Son continues to become one of the most noticed players. Journalist Gabriel Tan commented: “With each passing match, it seems that striker Xuan Son brings a new level, proving that he can help the Vietnamese team win the AFF Cup for the third time.

Of course, no player can separate a team when they win. Even if it is the striker who receives a lot of praise, they still need the defensive players to continue to complete their tasks so the team can win. However, it can be said with certainty that, if Vietnam does not have Nguyen Xuan Son, it will be difficult for them to win the AFF Cup championship this year.”

Xuan Son’s huge role

Journalist Gabriel Tan continued to emphasize Xuan Son’s role: “Xuan Son had to wait a long time to debut in Vietnam and his value has been clearly demonstrated. When eligible to play, the 27-year-old immediately scored 2 goals and 2 assists in a 5-0 victory over Myanmar, thereby helping Vietnam win the top spot in Group B. In the semi-finals , he was a real threat to Singapore’s defense when he scored 3 goals in two matches to help Vietnam win 5-1 in the end.

On January 2 at Viet Tri Stadium, he continued to do the same. The pair of midfielders Pansa Hemviboon and Chalermsak Aukkee seem suitable to deal with the 90-minute physical battle with Xuan Son. But in the end, the Vietnamese team striker surprised them. After a difficult first 45 minutes, Xuan Son refused to give up and in the 59th minute, he broke the deadlock in his signature goal-scoring style. In the 73rd minute, when he stole the ball from Chalermsak, it seemed like he didn’t have much of a chance because there were no teammates around. However, Xuan Son showed his skillful ability, breaking through on his own to score the second goal in the helplessness of the Thai defense.”

According to Gabriel Tan, the 2-1 home victory helped the Vietnamese team’s confidence increase very high. However, the second leg taking place on January 5, 2025 at Rajamangala Stadium in Thailand still has many unpredictable developments waiting for coach Kim Sang-sik and his team.

“With Chalermsak’s header in the 83rd minute, the “War Elephants” were able to pull one goal back, shortening the final score to 1-2. This will give them hope when entering the second leg at home. And certainly, there are still many surprises waiting ahead. Moreover, when Thailand returns to Bangkok, they will know one thing: Xuan Son must be captured and killed. He is the most dangerous player and can lead Vietnam to the championship,” journalist Gabriel Tan concluded.