In the 77th minute, Khuat Van Khang received the ball on the left flank and delivered a perfectly weighted cross towards Nguyen Xuan Son at the far post. However, as Son cut into the 5.5-meter box, the ball unexpectedly bounced up, causing the naturalized striker to lose his stride.

Immediately after the incident, Son knelt inside the penalty area, looking at the pitch, gesturing with his hands, and speaking to himself. Behind him, Do Hoang Hen clasped his head in regret for his teammate.

As he stood up, Son continued to look back at the spot where the ball bounced, before looking skyward with an expression of regret. After 30 seconds, he regained his composure to continue playing.

At Hang Day Stadium, Nguyen Xuan Son (left) entered the field at the start of the second half, alongside Le Pham Thanh Long and Doan Van Hau, replacing Nguyen Hoang Duc, Nguyen Quang Hai, and Nguyen Van Vi. Previously, the striker, born in 1997, sustained a minor right thigh muscle injury during the first training session on 21/3, necessitating two days of individual training.

Upon entering, Son and his teammates gathered in a circle for a quick discussion and a rallying cry. He then proactively approached Do Hoang Hen, clasping his hand for encouragement. The two had previously been effective partners at Binh Dinh (now Quy Nhon United) and Nam Dinh.

However, they were unable to replicate that synergy in their first national team match together. Throughout the second half, the pair connected only once, when Hen delivered a free-kick from the left flank into the penalty area for Son to graze with a header.

Son's first opportunity came in the 50th minute. Pham Xuan Manh crossed the ball, allowing Son to beat the offside trap and run towards the goalkeeper. However, the striker took two touches without gaining good control, leading to an opposing defender rushing in from behind to tackle him.

In the 70th minute, Khuat Van Khang shot from a tight angle inside the penalty area on the left. Son expressed regret, signaling that his teammate should have crossed the ball instead. Seven minutes later, Van Khang did as Son wished, but the pitch caused the ball to bounce erratically, and the chance slipped away.

In the 84th minute, Son produced his best play of the match. With his back to goal, he shimmied to push the ball past two Bangladesh players, then bypassed center-back Tariq Kazi before unleashing a long-range shot from near the D-box that narrowly missed the left post.

After the match, coach Kim Sang-sik stated he would review Son's weight. The thigh injury also hampered the striker's movement. "He is still a player to watch in the match against Malaysia. I expect Son to have a wider range of activity and better coordination", coach Kim said at the post-match press conference.

Alongside Son, Hoang Hen (left) also expressed regret over his long-range shot hitting the post in the 88th minute. However, he believes the connection with Son and other teammates will improve in upcoming matches.

Vietnam will continue training at the Vietnam Youth Football Training Center in Ha Noi until 29/3. The following day, the team will travel to Ninh Binh to prepare for their final Asian Cup 2027 qualifier Group F match against Malaysia on 31/3.

Hieu Luong - Ngoc Thanh