* Laos - Vietnam: 7 p.m. wednesday 19/11, on VnExpress.

If Nguyen Xuan Son plays against Laos tomorrow, it will be his first official match in ten months, following a right leg fracture sustained on 5/1 during the second leg of the 2024 ASEAN Cup final. Coach Kim Sang-sik will likely field him, though he did not disclose whether Son would start or come off the bench.

"We have gained another quality option in attack," Coach Kim stated at a press conference this afternoon in Laos. "I hope Xuan Son scores tomorrow to make a strong comeback for the fans."

Nguyen Xuan Son (right) and Coach Kim Sang-sik at Suvarnabhumi Airport, Thailand, on 6/1/2025, traveling back to Vietnam after winning the 2024 ASEAN Cup. Photo: Duc Dong.

After obtaining Vietnamese nationality in September 2024, the striker, born in 1997, debuted for the national team in a 5-0 victory over Myanmar on 23/12 of the same year in the final match of the ASEAN Cup. Before his injury, he scored seven goals in fewer than five matches, clinching both the top scorer and best player awards.

Following his recovery, Son first returned to play on 11/10, appearing in the final minutes of a training match between Nam Dinh and first-division team Tre PVF-CAND. However, upon joining the national team one month later, he affirmed his full recovery, expressing a desire to play every minute of every match, though acknowledging that Coach Kim would make the final decisions.

Also at today's press conference, Laos national team Coach Ha Hyeok-jun described Xuan Son as outstanding both with and without the ball. "However, we are not concerned whether Xuan Son plays or not. We must focus on our prepared plan," he said.

Laos is no longer in contention for a spot in the 2027 Asian Cup. Coach Ha's objective is to try their best to win and learn from a strong team like Vietnam. "I want our players to avoid mistakes, prevent conceding goals, and maximize scoring opportunities," the Korean coach added.

This will be the third match Coach Ha Hyeok-jun has led Laos against Vietnam, all under his compatriot Coach Kim Sang-sik. They previously lost 1-4 in the 2024 ASEAN Cup group stage, followed by a 0-5 defeat in the opening match of group F in the 2027 asian cup qualifiers.

Conversely, Coach Kim Sang-sik aims for a third consecutive victory. First, to end 2025 on a high note. Next, to chase Malaysia in the race to Saudi Arabia in 2027. "We need a win tomorrow to build momentum for the decisive match against Malaysia next year," the coach, born in 1976, stated.

Vietnam currently ranks second in group F with 9 points, three points behind Malaysia. Malaysia is expected to easily win against Nepal tonight, further solidifying their top position.

Malaysia is facing a crisis after FIFA accused seven naturalized players of using falsified documents. These players participated in the 4-0 victory over Vietnam in June. If their final appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) fails, Malaysia will be handed a 0-3 defeat against Vietnam. In that scenario, the 2027 Asian Cup spot would almost certainly go to Kim Sang-sik's team.

However, until a penalty is announced, Vietnam still needs to take each match as it comes. According to regulations, Vietnam would take the lead in group F by defeating Laos and then beating Malaysia by five goals or more in the return leg on 31/3/2026.

Hieu Luong