Nam Dinh 2-0 Long An: Xuan Son played the full 90 minutes on his return.
New head coach Mauro Jeronimo insisted he wouldn't take any risks by letting Xuan Son play the full 90 minutes in the Round of 16 of the National Cup; the Brazilian-born striker played a supporting role, had one goal disallowed for offside, and mainly operated near the penalty area.
Nam Định defeated Long An 2-0 in the Round of 16 of the National Cup in a memorable comeback for Xuân Son: starting, playing the full 90 minutes, and serving as a tactical anchor for the attack. New coach Mauro Jeronimo called this a "not-risky" decision, based on the Brazilian striker's fitness and suitability for the playing context.
The first 90 minutes after almost 10 months and the role of the spearhead as a wall.
Just four days after coming on as a substitute in the second half of the Vietnam national team's match against Laos (November 19th), Xuan Son returned to Nam Dinh FC and was immediately included in the starting lineup by coach Mauro Jeronimo against Long An. He didn't score, but made a significant contribution to the 2-0 victory with his ball control, ability to hold up the ball, and link up play. On one occasion, Xuan Son put the ball into the net, but it was disallowed due to offside.
This match marked both the return of Xuan Son after nearly 10 months out with injury and the debut of the Portuguese coach on the Nam Dinh bench.
Coach Mauro Jeronimo's explanation: appropriate context, controlled exercise load.
Speaking after the match, coach Mauro Jeronimo emphasized the ideal condition of the 28-year-old striker and the double benefit for both the club and Vietnamese football: “He feels very good. This is very helpful for our team and I think also for Vietnamese football. He feels healthy and has prepared himself very well for this return.”
He also affirmed that the decision to let Xuan Son play the full 90 minutes was "not risky at all," based on the fact that the player had just played 45 minutes for the national team and the quality of the opponent was similar to the context of the National Cup: "This is not risky at all. Xuan Son played the second half in the Vietnam national team's match against Laos. The match against Laos was similar in nature to this match between Nam Dinh and Long An."
From a tactical perspective, Long An proactively played defensively, conceding space and concentrating in front of the penalty area. This defined Xuan Son's role: acting as a link behind the defense, controlling the ball with his first touch to soften the defensive block and passing it back to the forwards. Coach Jeronimo clearly described how the workload was controlled: "The opponent played with a deep defensive formation, so Xuan Son spent 90% of his time operating near the opponent's penalty area. He didn't need to move up and down constantly. The intensity of a striker's play against such a deep-lying opponent is naturally not as high as against opponents who press high."
Significance for Nam Dinh: a striker option is now available.
The 2-0 victory against Long An showed that Nam Dinh now has a true center forward option to disrupt low defensive blocks. Although he didn't score, Xuan Son's ability to neutralize the center back, maintain tempo, and create space helped the team at Thien Truong Stadium maintain a consistent attacking rhythm. With his improved physical condition and the warm-up from playing for both the national team and the club, the Brazilian-born striker's return is a crucial piece of the puzzle.
Tactical highlights
- Opponents sit deep: Nam Định maintains constant pressure thanks to a strong ball-holding position in the 14-16 meter area in front of the goal.
- Xuan Son played a wall-like role: frequently turning his back to the defense, controlling the ball with his first touch and releasing it to the second line; once he put the ball into the net but it was offside.
- Fitness management: Spending 90% of the time playing near the penalty area reduces the amount of movement required along the pitch, which is suitable for the recovery phase after injury.
From the choice of match setting to the distribution of movement, coach Mauro Jeronimo's message was clear: create conditions for Xuan Son to safely adapt while still making a substantial contribution to the game. The 2-0 result was good, but the 90 minutes from the number 9 player were the most positive sign of all.
