The Vietnamese striker was the highlight in the match where the away team actively put pressure and controlled the attacking space. Xuan Son played for more than 81 minutes before leaving the field to make way for Hai Long.
Xuan Son's clearest mark appeared at the end of the first half. In the 45+5 minute, defender Tien Anh made an accurate cross from the right wing, creating conditions for Xuan Son to rush in and head the ball very well into the Malaysian net. The goal helped Vietnam break the deadlock right before halftime.
Not only directly scoring goals, the striker born in 1997 also has a significant influence in the attack. His ability to press and contest makes the Malaysian defense constantly send people to closely follow. Attracting opposing defenders also opens up space for players behind to participate in attack.
After Xuan Son left the field, Vietnam continued to maintain pressure and scored the second goal in the 86th minute. Quang Hai put the ball into the dangerous area, Faris tried to cut the pass but unintentionally sent the ball straight into his own net, helping Vietnam seal the score 2-0.
The victory away from home brings a great advantage for coach Kim Sang-sik's team before the second leg of the semi-final. Vietnam keeps a clean sheet and has a two-goal gap, while Malaysia is forced to change their approach if they want to reverse the situation.
The second leg semi-final between Vietnam and Malaysia takes place at 8:00 PM on August 19th at My Dinh Stadium.
