Laos, 18 November 2025 – Coach Kim Sang-sik expects naturalized Brazilian-born striker Nguyen Xuan Son to mark his long-awaited comeback with a goal when facing Laos in the fifth match of Group F in the final round of Asian Cup 2027 qualifying.
Coach Kim Sang-sik has expressed strong anticipation for the return of striker Nguyen Xuan Son as Vietnam prepare to face Laos in the fifth match of Group F of the Asian Cup 2027 final qualifying round. If fielded tomorrow, Xuan Son will make his first official appearance after 10 months of recovery from a right leg fracture suffered on January 5 during the second leg of the ASEAN Cup 2024 final. While Kim is expected to use the striker, he did not reveal whether he will start or come off the bench. The Korean coach affirmed: “We have gained another quality option in attack. I hope Xuan Son can score tomorrow and make a memorable return for our supporters.”
Since receiving Vietnamese nationality in September 2024, the 1997-born striker made his national team debut in the 5-0 win over Myanmar in the final group match of the ASEAN Cup on December 23. Before his injury, he recorded seven goals in fewer than five matches, securing both the Golden Boot and the Best Player awards of the tournament. After completing his treatment, Xuan Son returned to the field for the first time on October 11, playing the final minutes in Nam Dinh’s friendly against PVF-CAND. Upon joining the national team a month later, he confidently stated he was fully fit and ready to play every match if selected by coach Kim.
Meanwhile, Laos head coach Ha Hyeok-jun praised Xuan Son’s quality both on and off the ball but emphasized that his team remain focused on their own plan. Laos have officially been eliminated from the race for a spot at the Asian Cup 2027. Coach Ha stated his goal is to push his players to perform with full effort against a stronger opponent, avoid mistakes, keep a clean sheet, and capitalize on scoring chances. This will be the third time Ha faces Vietnam under Kim Sang-sik, having lost 1-4 in the 2024 ASEAN Cup group stage and 0-5 in the first leg of this qualifying campaign.
On the Vietnamese side, Kim Sang-sik aims to secure a third consecutive win. He noted that victory is crucial not only to close 2025 on a positive note but also to maintain pressure on Malaysia in the race for a place at the Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia. “We need a win tomorrow to build momentum for the decisive match against Malaysia next year,” Kim said. Vietnam currently sit second in Group F with nine points, trailing Malaysia by three. Malaysia are expected to defeat Nepal tonight to strengthen their lead.
Malaysia are also facing uncertainty after FIFA accused seven naturalized players of using forged documents. All seven participated in Malaysia’s 4-0 win over Vietnam in June. If their final appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) fails, Malaysia may be ruled to have lost that match 0-3, greatly boosting Vietnam’s qualification chances. However, with no final ruling issued, Vietnam remain committed to handling each match step by step. According to regulations, Vietnam can take the top spot in Group F if they defeat Laos and later beat Malaysia by at least five goals in the second leg on March 31, 2026.
Hong Duyen
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