📋 Tender Overview
The match between Vietnam and Myanmar will take place at 8:00 p.m. tonight (December 21), at Viet Tri Stadium (Phu Tho).
For a long time, in the AFF Cup, Myanmar has not been a worthy opponent of the Vietnamese team. In the history of the 7 confrontations between the two teams in the Southeast Asian tournaments, the Vietnamese team won 5 times and drew 2 times. We have never lost to Myanmar.
The time when the AFF Cup was born in 1996 was also the time when Myanmar football began to decline seriously compared to its golden days (the Myanmar team in the past had finished second in the Asian Championship in 1968). Therefore, the story of Myanmar often losing to the Vietnam team from 1996 until now has become a common thing.
The last time the two teams met was at the AFF Cup 2022. At that time, the Vietnamese team beat Myanmar 3-0 in the group stage. The goalscorers for the Vietnamese team in the match at the AFF Cup 2022 were Tien Linh, Chau Ngoc Quang and an own goal by defender Kyaw Zin Lwin of Myanmar.
Currently, Nguyen Tien Linh and Chau Ngoc Quang are still playing for the Vietnamese national team participating in the AFF Cup 2024. Tien Linh is likely to play officially. He is full of desire to score against Myanmar in tonight's match.
The debut of naturalized striker Nguyen Xuan Son is expected to help the Vietnamese team have an explosive victory against Myanmar.
Waiting for Xuan Son to shine
This is also the match where the Vietnamese team will have the first appearance of naturalized striker Nguyen Xuan Son. The presence of this player, in theory, will help the attack of the team under coach Kim Sang Sik become stronger.
Since Nguyen Xuan Son received Vietnamese citizenship, fans have been eagerly waiting for the day when this striker will soon play for the home team. That day has come and perhaps the highlight of the match between Vietnam and Myanmar will be the performance of this 27-year-old striker.
With all his pride, Nguyen Xuan Son was very confident that he would score in his debut match for the Vietnam national team. He even thought about how to celebrate his goal in a meaningful way.
Nguyen Xuan Son's confidence comes from the trust and expectations he receives from coach Kim Sang-sik, the coaching staff, teammates and fans. There are few players in the Vietnamese national team who are as interested as Xuan Son at this time.
Confidence comes from Xuan Son's own ability. Before joining the Vietnam national team, he had 14 goals in all competitions this season, leading the list of "Top scorers" in the V-League 2024-2025 with Tien Linh. Last season, the striker from Brazil also scored 31 goals in the V-League, accounting for more than half of the total goals of the entire Nam Dinh Steel Blue.
Commentator Quang Huy assessed that Nguyen Xuan Son's level is higher than the average level of players in the region. If coach Kim Sang-sik lets this striker play in the right position, he will score a goal for the Vietnamese team.
In terms of expertise, Nguyen Xuan Son is also ready mentally. After 5 years living in Vietnam, the striker of Nam Dinh Steel Club understands what he must do to respond to the trust of his fans.
Of course, Xuan Son also has his own difficulties, such as the first time he coordinates with his teammates in the Vietnam team in a match, it certainly cannot be smooth. Besides, if coach Kim Sang-sik uses Xuan Son in the striker position, he will have to coordinate with Tien Linh.
In addition, for the first time in history, a naturalized foreign player will be able to wear the Vietnamese national team jersey in an official tournament, so Xuan Son will be under certain pressure.
