Coach Kim Sang Sik worries about domestic strikers ahead of the ASEAN Cup

With only two rounds left in the V‑League 2025/26 season, the Vietnam national team’s attack is sending worrying signals about its finishing ability.

Meanwhile,Coach Kim Sang Sikneeds a sharp attack for the 2026 ASEAN Cup, yet most of the strikers called up in the recent March squad are showing form that could worry him.

Since the beginning of April, Xuan Son has only scored 2 goals. Coach Vu Hong Viet admitted Son has physical and form issues after returning from a serious injury. He had to give his striker rest, hoping Son can regain his ability.

However, the number one striker of Nam Dinhand the Vietnam national team still seems to need more time to face a tough period in his career. Not collecting titles could affect the mentality and excitement of the 29‑year‑old striker on the pitch.

Son’s teammate on the national team, Tuan Hai, is in even more trouble. The Hanoi FC striker has only scored 1 goal in his last 10 club matches. Tuan Hai is facing his most disappointing season, as he has never scored fewer than 5 goals for Hanoi FC in the V‑League since arriving in 2022.

The 28‑year‑old striker has not beentrusted much by Coach Harry Kewell,perhaps because of the playing style. That will make Coach Kim Sang Sik hesitate to keep relying on Tuan Hai for the national team. Pham Gia Hung also has only 1 goal like Tuan Hai since April.

The best goal scorer in this period is actually a player not very prominent on the national team, Nguyen Tran Viet Cuong. The striker ofBecamex Binh Duonghas scored 3 goals since April but is showing signs of overload and fatigue in the team’s difficult relegation fight.

In that context, naturalized strikers and U23 forwards are set to threaten the positions of domestic strikers on the national team. Do Hoang Hen has scored 10 goals for Hanoi FC, Nguyen Dinh Bac has exploded with 10 goals in just 6 matches for CAHN. Ngoc My and Khoa Ngo have each had impressive journeys with Thanh Hoa and Cong An TP.HCM.

The law of elimination in football is extremely harsh. Coach Kim Sang Sik once ruthlessly dropped striker Tien Linh, who was once the national team’s number one, and he can completely do the same with the declining domestic strikers.

The supply is abundant now, and if they don’t improve quickly, they can easily be replaced by new options.

The domestic strikers need to wake up immediately in the final 2 rounds. They must show desire, sharpness, and clear scoring efficiency to prove their value. With the 2026 ASEAN Cup taking place in July – after the World Cup ends – players will have a long break to recover.

With a long preparation period, Coach Kim Sang Sik may give more opportunities for his players to test themselves during the training camp in order to save their chances of making the national team.