Where is 'Xiao Chun Son'?

Vietnam U22 needs a good striker.

The individual impact of striker Nguyen Xuan Son on Vietnam's journey to winning the 2024 AFF Cup has shown just how important it is to have a top-class striker to shape the team's playing style. A versatile striker can solve many problems, and for the U22 Vietnam team to conquer the SEA Games, coach Kim Sang-sik needs a "gem" in the attacking line.

The U22 Vietnam team won the SEA Games 30 with the effective goal-scoring duo of Nguyen Tien Linh and Ha Duc Chinh (a total of 12 goals). Later, at SEA Games 31, although the attack was no longer as explosive, the U22 Vietnam team successfully defended their gold medal thanks to a solid defense (keeping a clean sheet throughout the tournament).

Bui Vi Hao in the Vietnam U.23 jersey.

However, this does not diminish the importance of attacking players. Coach Park Hang-seo reserved one of the three overage player slots for Tien Linh, and the striker born in 1997 repaid that trust with crucial goals against U.22 Indonesia (group stage) and U.22 Malaysia (semi-final) to pave the way to the championship.

However, it's necessary to acknowledge the reality that Vietnamese football lacks good strikers. At the national team level, the only players we've found in recent years were Tiến Linh, before Xuân Son was naturalized as there were no other options. For the U22 Vietnam team, the problem is even more serious because young strikers haven't had much opportunity to showcase their skills in the V-League.

Bui Vi Hao plays regularly in the V-League. At the age of 21, he has played 74 matches (49 starts), scoring 8 goals. However, Vi Hao is primarily a winger. Although he showed potential by playing 6 matches for the national team at the 2024 AFF Cup, Vi Hao is not yet at the level to lead the team's play. The 2003-born striker's handling of the ball still shows immaturity and clumsiness that need improvement.

The bad news is that, apart from Vi Hao, Kim's other strikers in the U.22 age group have been underwhelming recently. Nguyen Van Truong has regularly played as a center forward at the U.19 and U.22 levels since 2022. He was also tested by coach Kim Sang-sik in the Vietnamese national team during the September 2024 training camp, but his performance was not convincing enough. At Hanoi FC, Van Truong has only started 5 matches this season (without scoring a goal).

Dinh Bac (number 15) will shoulder the attacking burden?

Another promising striker is Nguyen Dinh Bac, who is being given opportunities by coach Alexandre Polking at Hanoi Police FC (8 starts in all competitions, scoring 2 goals). Dinh Bac has a good physique with a height of 1.79 m, along with experience playing for the national team since 2023. However, a slowdown in 2024 could be an obstacle, requiring the former Quang Nam striker to work harder. The other promising U22 striker under coach Kim Sang-sik, Nguyen Quoc Viet, has also yet to prove himself in the V-League and First Division.

Teacher Kim's screening

Coach Kim Sang-sik used naturalized strikers to end the Vietnamese national team's goal drought. However, at the U.22 age group, promising Vietnamese-born players like Viktor Lê and Zan Nguyễn are not strikers.

Strikers like Dinh Bac, Quoc Viet, Van Truong, and Vi Hao will still be the backbone of the Vietnam U22 team. Unless Coach Kim finds new talents, he will have to wait for the old players to improve themselves in the remaining 10 months before the SEA Games.

Overall, the opportunities for strikers to break through are still very clear. Vi Hao went from a reserve position in the Vietnam U23 team to a starting position in the national team in just 6 months. Young players always possess unpredictable potential for breakthroughs. However, that energy needs to be accumulated through regular playing time at their clubs. If they are substitutes, it is difficult for them to maintain their match fitness.

Coach Kim Sang-sik will utilize the upcoming training camps of the Vietnam U22 team to scout and test talent. If he cannot find a striker he is satisfied with, the South Korean coach will build a tactical system that suits the players currently available. Coach Kim Sang-sik's ability to adapt to limited resources will be demonstrated at the SEA Games 33.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/u22-viet-nam-tim-chan-sut-gioi-cho-sea-games-tieu-xuan-son-o-dau-18525020309254717.htm