Xuân Son holds a significant advantage when facing Malaysia

The Vietnam Football Federation suggested selecting Thiên Trường Stadium to host the match against Malaysia, offering Nguyễn Xuân Son and the Vietnam team the chance to compete on their well-known home turf.

The latest decision from the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) is opening an emotional scenario for striker Nguyễn Xuân Son. According to this, the crucial match between Vietnam and Malaysia in the final round of the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers is likely to be held at Thiên Trường Stadium (Ninh Bình), the familiar home ground of the naturalized striker born in 1997.

In an official letter sent to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ninh Bình province, VFF proposed collaborating to organize the match at 7:00 PM on March 31, 2026, at Thiên Trường Stadium. This move marks a notable change in the choice of home stadium for the national team, following previous matches held at Thống Nhất, Bình Dương, and Việt Trì stadiums.

If approved, Thiên Trường will become a vital “stronghold” for the Vietnam team in the decisive match for qualification to the 2027 Asian Cup finals. Notably, it is also the home stadium for several national players such as Văn Vĩ, Văn Toàn, and especially Nguyễn Xuân Son, who is expected to play a key role in the attack.

For Xuân Son personally, playing on the familiar pitch carries significant meaning. The striker missed the first leg against Malaysia, where Vietnam lost 0-4. Returning in a new context, Xuân Son openly expresses his ambition for “revenge,” especially when playing at the “fiery” Thiên Trường, where he trains, scores, and receives enthusiastic support weekly.

The home field factor becomes even more crucial as Vietnam faces pressure to beat Malaysia by a large margin to secure their own qualification spot. Meanwhile, Malaysian football is still under potential sanctions from FIFA and AFC due to irregular naturalization of players, although no final decision has been made yet.

In this context, the decision to bring the match to Ninh Bình is seen as a timely morale booster. For Xuân Son, this is not only a personal positive but also an opportunity to prove his worth in the national team jersey, helping the “Golden Star Warriors” achieve their major goal in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers.