Vietnam's top two strikers achieve an incredible feat together

Round 12 of the V-League brought many surprises as both Tiến Linh and Xuân Son missed their penalty kicks.

V-League 2025/26 Round 12 The round witnessed a rare event when the two leading forwards of the Vietnam national team, Nguyễn Xuân Son and Nguyễn Tiến Linh, both missed penalties in the same matchday. These moments disappointed fans but also highlighted the challenges footballers must overcome before making a strong comeback.

At Thiên Trường Stadium, Xuân Son became the center of attention in the 2-2 draw between Thép Xanh Nam Định and Đông Á Thanh Hóa. Coming on in the second half after a long injury layoff, he immediately applied pressure with his strength, smart movement, and effective hold-up play. He continuously troubled the opposing defense, injecting new energy into the home team's tactics.

The climax came in the 90+7th minute when Xuân Son was fouled inside the box, earning Nam Định a penalty. He stepped up to take the spot-kick with a chance to decide the match, but his shot struck the post, much to the fans' disappointment. Three points slipped away, and Xuân Son became the most talked-about player after the game.

Meanwhile, Công an TP.HCM also earned an early penalty during their away match against PVF-CAND. In the 19th minute, Tiến Linh took responsibility for the penalty but failed to beat the opposing goalkeeper. Nevertheless, the city team maintained control and secured a 2-1 victory, somewhat easing the pressure on the striker born in 1997.

In reality, a missed shot cannot undermine the quality of these top forwards. Xuân Son previously shone in regional competitions with an impressive scoring rate, while Tiến Linh remains the first-choice striker due to his experience and killer instinct. Sometimes, setbacks serve as stepping stones for a stronger return.

For coach Kim Sang-sik, this might just be a “professional mishap” before Vietnam faces Malaysia in the Asian Cup qualifiers in March. Fans still have full confidence in the duo Xuân Son – Tiến Linh, who are expected to lead the attack and score goals for the national team in the upcoming campaign.