Xuan Son scores a hat-trick as Nam Dinh wins 3-0 against Shan United.
A hat-trick on his Shoppe Cup debut helped Nam Dinh win 3-0. Malaysian newspaper Makan Bola said Xuan Son has rediscovered his form ahead of the Vietnam-Malaysia rematch in March 2026.
Three shots, three goals, and a message sent across the region: Xuan Son is back. In the away match on December 4th at the Shoppe Cup (Southeast Asian Club Cup), the naturalized striker of the Vietnamese national team scored a hat-trick to help Nam Dinh FC win 3-0 against Shan United on the opening day of the tournament, and was also voted Man of the Match.
Hattrick of a comeback player.
In a difficult match for Nam Dinh, Xuan Son – who had just recovered from a serious injury and had been sidelined for almost a year – neatly converted an opportunity into a goal. This was his first match in the Shoppe Cup, and his performance immediately sealed a 3-0 victory for the visiting team.
| Match | Score | Best player |
|---|---|---|
| Shan United vs Nam Dinh | 0-3 | Xuan Son |
Malaysia is watching and apprehensive.
Immediately after the match, Malaysian media took notice. The Makan Bola newspaper published an article with the headline: "Xuan Son's sweet debut at the Shopee Cup," emphasizing that he is regaining his goal-scoring form after recovering from a serious injury sustained in early 2025. The newspaper also mentioned that Xuan Son had previously scored for Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying match against Laos in November.
Impact on the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying race
In March 2026, the highly anticipated match between the Vietnamese national team and Malaysia will take place in the final round of Group F of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. In the first leg, Malaysia defeated Vietnam 4-0. While a ruling on whether Malaysia will be penalized for using illegally naturalized players is yet to be decided, Vietnam must still secure a victory by a margin of more than four goals. Therefore, Xuan Son's timely return and impressive form have become a cause for concern among the Malaysian media.
Sound on the field and off the sidelines
Hattricks often speak louder than words. For Xuan Son, it represents rediscovering his rhythm after a long break, a sense of space in the penalty area, and confidence in the final touch. For Nam Dinh, it signifies a convincing away victory in the Shoppe Cup. For the national team, it's a positive sign ahead of the final stretch of the qualifiers.
Stated
After the match, Xuan Son shared: “Hello everyone. Son is very happy to be back with the whole team. Even better, I scored a goal and the team won. Let's look forward to the next match together. Come on, Nam Dinh Steel Green!”
The numbers are noteworthy.
- Xuan Son's three goals sealed a 3-0 victory for Nam Dinh.
- This was Xuan Son's first match at the Shoppe Cup (Southeast Asian Club Cup).
- Voted Man of the Match.
- Having just returned from a serious injury and a long period of absence from competition lasting almost a year.
- He scored for the Vietnam national team in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifying match against Laos in November.
Nam Dinh secured three points, Xuan Son made a dream comeback, and the Vietnam-Malaysia match in March 2026 suddenly took on an added layer of significance: a striker's form can change the trajectory of a campaign.
