On the evening of August 22, Rajamangala Stadium witnessed Nguyen Quang Hai's masterpiece. From Do Hoang Hen's impressive pass, the player born in 1997 penetrated the penalty area before launching a beautiful finish to increase the score to 2-0 for the Vietnamese team. The goal appeared just minutes after Nguyen Quang Hai was brought onto the field.
Sharing with Lao Dong, commentator Quang Tung commented: "People talk too much about Quang Hai's problem at the present time in a negative direction. However, public opinion forgets that he is still very dangerous.
If he is in the right position and in good condition, Quang Hai is very unpredictable, today he proved this. In the previous match, Quang Hai played stably alongside Hoang Duc.
This beautiful run-up and finishing play has a lot of meaning. Quang Hai's role and influence are even better. I am satisfied with the balls of Nguyen Quang Hai, Hai Long, Dinh Bac... At ASEAN Cup 2026, the Vietnamese team has many colors.
Indeed, Quang Hai faced a huge mountain of pressure before the explosive moment in Thailand. Nguyen Quang Hai was scheduled to start in the match against Singapore and disappointed.
He did not bring any breakthroughs to the Vietnamese team. To the point that coach Kim Sang-sik also received criticism for only substituting Quang Hai when the match was in the recoilless.
In the times he was brought onto the field when facing Cambodia or Malaysia, he also only played at a level of fulfilling his role. Quang Hai's mark gradually appeared from a pass that made the Malaysian defender "burn his own net" in the first leg. In the second leg, Quang Hai played in the starting lineup, basically meeting professional requirements.
Mr. Tung assessed: "I think the first thing is that Quang Hai's form is not good in the group stage. Secondly, the ASEAN Cup is always a long tournament, Mr. Kim's preparation is logical. This result will make it easier for us to say, but in reality, the deeper we go, the better the Vietnamese team plays.
Many players at the beginning of the tournament played hard but played better and better later on. Xuan Son did not play very well at the beginning of the tournament, but better and better later on. Quang Hai is the next example.
Individuals are adjusted according to each match. In general, the system of the whole team is getting better and better. The team's performance is getting better and better".
For Nguyen Quang Hai personally, he is still the team thought to be the Vietnamese national team and it is too early to say that this player... is out of fashion. Mr. Kim's way of using people has "saved" Nguyen Quang Hai, along with patience and abandoning his ego.
It is not easy for a national team captain to sit on the bench more than starting. But, each step of Nguyen Quang Hai speaks to the fact that he still has a desire, and the goal is like an affirmation of the value of a star.
