Nguyen Xuan Son was highly expected before the match against Myanmar. The striker himself showed his determination to have the brightest performance on the first day of the match. However, Xuan Son's 2 goals, 2 assists and countless good chances surprised many people.
"I'm not surprised because Xuan Son is the type of player who can participate in the game a lot. He not only knows how to score goals, but when needed, he can play the role of the first defender on the opponent's field.
Xuan Son not only plays as a center forward, he also plays well when playing behind, pulling the ball out to the wing,... This is an extremely comprehensive striker, especially able to play with both feet. Playing in the V.League for a long time helped Xuan Son adapt quickly to his teammates, thereby having a very favorable debut.
In the first half, there were some situations that Xuan Son missed but we didn't feel impatient because everyone knew what was coming would come" - Commentator Quang Huy shared.
Xuan Son can play in any position, and his scoring skills are very skillful. In history, if we only count the "number 9" position, not many Vietnamese players can compare, maybe even no one.
"If we consider the role of center forward in the Vietnamese national team, in our history, no one has reached this level, even the old generals of the past, who are still called famous players. I still use the image of an icebreaker to describe Xuan Son. There are very difficult situations that only he can do" - Commentator Quang Huy shared.
In addition to 2 goals and 2 assists, Xuan Son also contributed a lot to the overall play. His teammates benefited a lot and it helped coach Kim Sang-sik have less headache in arranging personnel.
"Vietnamese players have high expectations for Xuan Son. Sometimes just passing the ball to him is enough to create an opportunity. I have envisioned that Xuan Son could excel more than at Nam Dinh club when he joins the national team. The reason is that in addition to his close teammates who have also been called up to the national team, Xuan Son also benefits from many other talented players" - Commentator Quang Huy commented.
The ASEAN Cup 2024 has witnessed a large wave of naturalized players, and Vietnam is no exception with the case of Nguyen Xuan Son. However, although other teams also have "westerners" in their squads, no one has left such a strong and influential impact on the team as Xuan Son.
"I watched other teams play in this tournament, no striker has reached the level of Nguyen Xuan Son. Usually, they play by hiding and waiting for the moment. As for Xuan Son, as long as he receives the ball from his teammates, regardless of how the opponent's defense is arranged, he can still handle it comfortably.
Looking at other teams, there may be many naturalized players but no one has created a feeling of fear and bravery like Xuan Son" - Commentator Quang Huy commented.
Vietnam's opponent in the semi-finals will be the second team in Group A - Singapore. The team from the Lion Island is ranked behind Thailand with 7 points, 2 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss after the group stage.
The Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) will continue to choose Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho) as the home stadium of the Vietnam team in the semi-finals of the ASEAN Cup 2024. In the last two matches of the Vietnam team in the group stage, fans almost filled the stadium, creating a bustling atmosphere.
The first leg will take place at Singapore's stadium on December 26 and the second leg will take place at Viet Tri stadium on December 29.
