In the list of players preparing for the match against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers (on June 10), coach Kim Sang Sik called up 4 strikers, namely Tuan Hai, Tien Linh, Thanh Binh and Cong Phuong.
Coach Kim Sang Sik has a headache finding a replacement for Xuan Son (Photo: Manh Quan).
The long-term absence of Xuan Son, the top scorer of the AFF Cup 2024, is a loss for the Vietnamese team. However, the problem is that the "Golden Dragons" do not have a striker in good form at this time to replace the Brazilian striker.
Tien Linh is considered an ideal replacement for Xuan Son. However, the player who just won the 2024 Vietnam Golden Ball is not in good form at the moment. In the last 10 matches in the V-League, the striker born in 1997 has only scored 1 goal from the penalty spot. Even in the recent match against Hanoi Police Club, Tien Linh was not registered to play due to injury.
In the national team, Tien Linh also did not have good form when he failed to score in both matches against weaker opponents Laos and Cambodia during the FIFA Days (national team training according to FIFA schedule). Tien Linh's experience is what the Vietnamese team really needs in the match against Malaysia, but the problem is that this striker needs to find inspiration soon. In the past, Tien Linh scored 2 goals against the Malaysian team in the 2018 World Cup qualifiers and the 2022 AFF Cup.
Another expected player, Cong Phuong, suddenly got injured at a crucial moment and withdrew from the national team. At this time, the Nghe An striker was playing quite well for Binh Phuoc Club in the first division. However, when many people hoped that Cong Phuong would regain his inspiration and show his good qualities, he once again had no luck with the national team.
Coach Kim Sang Sik called up Quoc Viet to replace him, but the Ninh Binh FC striker is still quite inexperienced. Thanh Binh is also another player of Ninh Binh FC, but he did not really show his sharpness when he only scored 4 goals last season (2 times from the penalty spot).
Cong Phuong's injury makes it even more difficult for coach Kim Sang Sik to recruit more players (Photo: Manh Quan).
Perhaps, Tuan Hai is the most stable face in the attack of the Vietnamese team at the moment. He is having quite an impressive performance when scoring 4 goals in the last 6 matches in the V-League. However, under coach Kim Sang Sik, Tuan Hai is only used as a "hidden card in the sleeve".
During the training session in March, the Vietnamese team scored 7 goals in two matches against Laos and Cambodia, but the team's explosive points still came from the back line. In particular, Van Vi and Hai Long contributed a double.
The appearance of Cao Pendant Quang Vinh, a player with comprehensive offensive and defensive capabilities on the left flank, could be a good choice for the Vietnam team. But clearly, we still need a factor up front who knows how to convert opportunities into goals.
At the AFF Cup 2024, Xuan Son, with his superb scoring ability, made a difference for the Vietnamese team. The Vietnamese team needs such a factor to make a difference against Malaysia.
Source: https://dantri.com.vn/the-thao/noi-lo-lon-cua-hlv-kim-sang-sik-truoc-tran-quyet-chien-cua-tuyen-viet-nam-20250603203718932.htm
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