Xuan Son scores a hat-trick as Nam Dinh defeats Shan United 3-0.

Xuan Son made a spectacular return: a hat-trick, a 3-0 victory for Nam Dinh against Shan United in the Shopee Cup on December 4th, and the Man of the Match award. For a striker who had spent almost a year sidelined, this comeback showed that his composure and goal-scoring instincts were still intact.

Highlights of the match

Nam Định entered the match with clear determination and found the solution thanks to a player returning from injury. Xuân Son opened the scoring, giving the visitors the lead, and then sealed the victory with two more goals to complete his hat-trick. A clean 3-0 win, convincing in terms of scoreline and style of play, as Nam Định controlled the tempo and minimized risks after taking the advantage.

The numbers speak for themselves.

• Score: Shan United 0-3 Nam Dinh
• Goalscorer: Xuan Son 3
• Tournament: Shopee Cup
• Time: evening of December 4th
• Individual award: Man of the Match
• Background: Xuan Son returns after nearly a year of injury.

Expert perspective: the rhythm is back on track at the right time.

There aren't many in-depth details about the timing of each goal, but the sequence of opening the scoring and completing the hat-trick shows a striker with good spatial awareness and the ability to capitalize on the game's momentum. After a long period of injury, the most difficult thing was finding the rhythm of play and making decisive decisions in the penalty area – something Xuan Son demonstrated with his three goals. This is a positive sign regarding both his physical condition and confidence.

Regional weight: Malaysia watching

Xuan Son's performance immediately attracted the attention of Malaysian media. According to Makan Bola, they called it "Xuan Son's sweet debut at the Shopee Cup" and highlighted his goal-scoring ability. The source also recalled that Xuan Son had scored for the Vietnamese national team in their match against Laos in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers last November.

That interest is justified: according to Malaysian media, the Vietnamese national team will face Malaysia in a crucial match in March 2026. In the first leg, Malaysia won 4-0. Therefore, the return of a key player like Xuan Son to top form is certainly a detail that the opponent must pay attention to.

Post-match reaction

In a brief but heartfelt message, Xuan Son said: “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!”

Significance for Nam Dinh

Three goals and individual awards on his return not only helped Nam Dinh secure a perfect result at the Shopee Cup, but also opened up a more effective attacking option for the next stage. For Xuan Son, this is a foundation to restore his playing rhythm, while for Nam Dinh, it's a clear morale boost after a perfect evening.