Xuan Son came off the bench to score twice as Vietnam beat Malaysia 2-0 at My Dinh in the second leg of their semifinal.

He opened the scoring in the 63rd minute, reacting quickest after Tien Anh’s shot was blocked and finishing the rebound.

The striker struck again in the 89th minute. After receiving a lofted pass, he held off a Malaysian defender, accelerated beyond him and beat goalkeeper Azri Ghani from a tight angle to seal the victory.

The performance earned Xuan Son the Player of the Match award for the second consecutive semifinal.

More importantly, his goals took him to a new landmark for Vietnam.

The Brazilian-born striker has now scored eight goals for Vietnam in the knockout rounds of the ASEAN Cup, including its previous incarnations as the AFF Cup and Tiger Cup, making him the national team’s leading scorer in the competition’s knockout stages.

Before this year’s semifinal against Malaysia, Xuan Son had scored five knockout-stage goals: three against Singapore in the semifinals and two across the two final legs against Thailand at the 2024 ASEAN Cup.

He scored again in Vietnam’s 2-0 first-leg win over Malaysia, taking him past Nguyen Tien Linh’s previous mark of five, before adding another two goals at My Dinh.

Xuan Son now has five goals in the current tournament, level with Dinh Bac in the race for the Golden Boot.

“Scoring goals and helping the team win is always my dream,” Xuan Son said. “Wearing the national team shirt and contributing every day is my biggest goal. I just want to maintain this form and give the whole team more motivation as we aim to defend the championship.”

The striker is now turning his attention to another meeting with Thailand, the opponent against whom he scored twice in the 2024 final.

“The coaching staff will prepare the tactics for the team. My job is to follow them,” he said. “It will be a big final. Thailand are a good team. What I need to do now is make sure I am in the best possible physical condition. Of course, I want to win the championship again.”

Thailand expected to pile on pressure in Bangkok

Vietnam will face a considerably different challenge in the first leg of the final, with Thailand expected to take the initiative at home.

Vietnamese football commentator Quang Huy believes Thailand will approach the match as the stronger side on their own ground and look to put Kim’s team under sustained pressure.

“No matter what, when Thailand play at home, they will carry themselves as the favorites,” Quang Huy said. “That is how Thailand play. At home, they will try to put Vietnam under pressure.”

Vietnam nevertheless arrive in the final with growing confidence after controlling their semifinal against Malaysia.

Quang Huy praised the team’s composure in the 2-0 second-leg victory, saying Vietnam did not allow themselves to become impatient despite playing before a large home crowd.

Although Dinh Bac was given a starting role, he struggled to make the expected impact against a Malaysian defense that appeared well prepared for him.

“Dinh Bac was given the chance to start on his birthday, and his teammates also created opportunities for him,” Quang Huy said. “But it seemed the opposition had studied him, and some of his decisions were a little rushed.”

The complexion of the match changed when Xuan Son entered after halftime.

Malaysia had defended effectively in the opening period, but as fatigue began to set in, Vietnam’s fresh attacking options became increasingly dangerous.

That depth could again prove crucial against Thailand.

“We have many options in attack,” Quang Huy said. “The starters can give everything, and when they come off, the substitutes can bring something different.”

He also highlighted Tai Loc and Hoang Hen as players whose contributions should not be judged solely by goals.

Midfield could be key against Thailand

For the Bangkok leg, Quang Huy believes Vietnam will need midfielders capable of protecting the defense and disrupting Thailand before attacks develop.

One player who could become important is Le Pham Thanh Long, whom he believes Kim has preserved with the final in mind.

“I want our midfield to have players capable of defending from further up the pitch,” Quang Huy said. “Le Pham Thanh Long is one of the players Kim Sang Sik has saved for the final. He is a very important option.”

Vietnam could also continue rotating their attacking players depending on how the first leg develops.

The defending champions, however, face several disadvantages in their preparation. They have had less recovery time than Thailand and must travel to Bangkok for the opening match.

The Vietnamese squad departed for Thailand at noon on August 20.

Despite the demanding schedule and the prospect of intense pressure at Rajamangala Stadium, confidence remains high that Vietnam can secure a result that leaves them well positioned for the return leg.

“I believe Vietnam can get a good result in the first leg and build momentum for the return,” Quang Huy said. “The more we play, the more we show the variety and depth of this squad.”

The first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 final between Thailand and Vietnam kicks off at 8pm on August 22 at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.

The title will then be decided at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi at 8pm on August 26.

For Xuan Son, the two matches offer an opportunity to extend an already historic knockout-stage scoring record. For Vietnam, they represent the final hurdle in their bid to retain the ASEAN championship.

Dai Nam