Xuân Son and Hoàng Hên are the 'lever' for Vietnam's national team attack.

Vietnam's national team attack is lacking goals, and the names Xuân Son and Hoàng Hên emerge as awaited bright spots. One is eager to break his goal drought, the other is reaching peak form. Both promise to be the lever helping coach Kim Sang Sik handle the tricky opponent Malaysia.

Football always has paradoxes, and the case ofXuân Sonthis season is a prime example.

This naturalized striker still maintains his powerful, explosive, and emotional playing style, but goals have come to him too sparingly in the V-League.

After 5 domestic league matches this season, Xuân Son has only managed a single goal, a modest number for a striker considered Nam Định's "goal machine".

In the 2023/24 season, Nam Định won theV-Leaguewith Xuân Son etching his name into league history with 31 goals.

Notably, Xuân Son's professional form is not poor. The naturalized forward still appears across the attacking front with trademark finishing attempts.

These are cannon-like shots, powerful diving headers, or brave aerial challenges. The only issue lies in the final moment when the ball refuses to find the net.

But at least, the goal in early March helping Nam Định defeat title contender Ninh Bình acted like a psychological milestone for this striker.

After a barren spell, that goal not only meant points for Nam Định but also helped Xuân Son shed pressure.

In the context of Vietnam's national team attack lacking stability, Xuân Son is still seen as the most powerful and reliable center forward. Compared to names like Tiến Linh, Thanh Bình, or Tuấn Hải enduring long goal droughts, Xuân Son has at least rediscovered his goal-scoring "feeling".

Xuân Son awaits the day to face Malaysia again at Thiên Trường Stadium for a "decisive battle". This is not just motivational talk but also shows his desire to prove himself in the national team jersey.

Before that crucial match, Xuân Son has two golden opportunities to improve his form. The Round 16 V-League match against Thanh Hóa at home on March 13th, and especially the National Cup quarter-final against SHB Đà Nẵng on March 18th. Both opponents are rated lower than Nam Định, and that is precisely the chance for this forward to rediscover his scoring instinct. If Xuân Son explodes at the right time, he will join the national team with the highest confidence.

While Xuân Son seeks to end his goal drought, Hoàng Hên is currently one of the most consistently performing names in the V-League. The Hà Nội FC forward has scored 6 goals after 9 matches, plus 3 assists. That statistic shows the completeness of the 1994-born player.

At 32, Hoàng Hên has reached the finest peak of his career. Not only scoring well, he also shows valuable versatility by playing multiple attacking positions. Intelligent movement, flexible coordination, and a fiercely competitive spirit make Hoàng Hên a very considerable option for Vietnam's national team.

Another interesting point is Hoàng Hên has a special understanding with Xuân Son. Both understand each other's playing styles. If combined on the national team, this duo could create fresh attacking options for coach Kim Sang Sik.

Immediately, Hoàng Hên has an opportunity to continue affirming his form in the match against SLNA. In the first leg, he was a key contributor to Hà Nội FC's victory. Although SLNA is in good form with 4 wins in their last 5 matches, Hoàng Hên has grounds for confidence as he has previously caused the Nghệ An team regret.

Additionally, the upcoming friendly against Bangladesh could also be an important warm-up for Hoàng Hên to acclimatize to the national team rhythm before the official match against Malaysia.

If Xuân Son rediscover his scoring touch and Hoàng Hên continues his high-level form, Vietnam's national team attack will gain greater hope. This duo, one powerfully explosive, the other cunning and versatile, could become the key helping the team make a difference.