Striker Nguyen Xuan Son: 'Vietnam is my second homeland'

On the evening of December 21, the Vietnamese team defeated Myanmar with a score of 5-0. The scorers included striker Nguyen Xuan Son with a double, along with Vi Hao, Tien Linh and Quang Hai. This result helped Vietnam to top Group B with 10 points, and an outstanding goal difference (11 goals scored, only 2 goals conceded).

After the match, coach Kim Sang-sik shared: “On behalf of the Vietnamese team, I would like to thank the fans who came to the stadium to support us today. I think the players did their best and played very well. They played with great effort and achieved the expected results. I respect the team members, and after this match, the whole team will focus on the semi-final match against Singapore at the ASEAN Cup 2024.”

Regarding the fact that the Vietnamese team failed to score in the first half in all four group stage matches, coach Kim Sang-sik said:“In the first half, we missed a few chances. Some of the young players in the team lacked experience, which led to nervousness when finishing, which is normal. In the second half, the team played stronger and scored many goals.

Since the second goal, the players were more confident, believing in victory and a ticket to the semi-finals. However, I did not want to change many positions on the field to monitor the team's coordination. After that, I made a few changes, giving opportunities to players who did not get much playing time, like Thanh Long. They played very hard."

“With Xuan Son, I talked to him at halftime. Son wanted to play the whole match to enjoy it,” coach Kim Sang-sik revealed.

Nguyen Xuan Son – the player who scored twice on his debut for the Vietnam national team – shared his feelings: “I am very happy. Tonight is special for me, my teammates and the fans. I will never forget the moment when everyone supported me. I am enjoying this.

We practice every day. I love the Vietnamese people very much. They always cheer for me. When I have free time, I often learn Vietnamese to connect with everyone. Hopefully, in 2-3 years, I can chat fluently with everyone.”

“After the match, Myanmar’s No. 4 player said that I was not Vietnamese. I replied that I love this country. My family and I have been here for 5 years. Vietnam is my second home. I thank the fans. I feel comfortable here and will devote my best to the Vietnam national team,” Nguyen Xuan Son affirmed.