The necessary return
November did not go smoothly for Binh Duong club. This team from Thu Dau Mot only won 1 match in V.League when defeating Hoang Anh Gia Lai with a score of 4-1. In the next 3 matches, coach Hoang Anh Tuan and his team drew 1 and lost 2. Notably, they lost to 2 championship candidates, Hanoi FC and Nam Dinh.
Tien Linh, the captain of Binh Duong, still scored 3 goals in November. Those were the 2 matches in which the team from Thu Dau Mot won 4 points against Hoang Anh Gia Lai and Da Nang.
In the two key matches against Nam Dinh and Hanoi, Tien Linh failed to score. That is also the reason why many fans are worried about the striker's performance when the Vietnam national team training session takes place right after that.
Luckily, that sadness was temporarily put aside after the first practice match of the Vietnamese team in Korea. In the context of Vietnam facing great pressure in terms of physique and superior physical strength from the opponent Ulsan Citizen, Nguyen Tien Linh shone at the right time.
At the end of the first half, from a free kick by Van Khang, central defender Bui Hoang Viet Anh headed the ball, making it impossible for the Korean goalkeeper to catch. Seizing the opportunity, Tien Linh made a simple tap-in to score against the Korean team. This goal helped the Vietnamese team break the deadlock, and at the same time, the 27-year-old striker broke the deadlock that had lasted for more than half a month.
Not only scoring goals, Tien Linh was also given the captain's armband. After Cong Vinh and Van Quyet, the Vietnamese team has a new leader playing as a striker.
Tien Linh's notable plus points are his enthusiasm and effort. He actively urges and exchanges information with his teammates around him. Moreover, from the responsibility of a captain striker, Tien Linh creates trust for his team by scoring goals.
Hope number 1
On the day Tien Linh scored, information about Nguyen Xuan Son being eligible to wear the Vietnam national team jersey was also present. However, even if that becomes a reality, the national team will still have to wait for Xuan Son at the earliest date of December 21, 2024.
Remember, before that time, the Vietnamese team had to play 3/4 group stage matches, including the matches against Laos, Indonesia and the Philippines, which would decide the fate of the "Golden Star Warriors" entering the semi-finals. This means that before Xuan Son, Tien Linh will shoulder the responsibility of scoring goals, helping the Vietnamese team overcome the above opponents at the AFF Cup 2024.
After scoring against Ulsan Citizen, Tien Linh somewhat regained his inspiration in front of the opponent's goal. This brought peace of mind to the coaching staff of the Vietnamese team. Because, with the current force, besides Tien Linh, the center forward position has only one other option, Dinh Thanh Binh, but this player's performance is not good. The proof is that in the 2024-2025 First Division, Thanh Binh has only scored 1 goal for Phu Dong Ninh Binh.
If you are looking for someone to share the burden with Tien Linh, it is Pham Tuan Hai. After the injury, the striker of Hanoi FC is gradually regaining his "goal-scoring" instinct.
Tuan Hai entered the field in the 68th minute of the match against Ulsan Citizen. After only 13 minutes on the field, the striker born in 1998 had a beautiful coordination with Van Duc and Quang Hai before finishing beautifully, sealing a 2-0 victory for the Vietnamese team.
With Tien Linh stable in scoring efficiency, and Tuan Hai gradually regaining his feeling in front of the opponent's goal, the Vietnamese national team's attack is also more optimistic towards the AFF Cup 2024.
