'Grass was heavy': Xuan Son admits pitch disrupted Vietnam's rhythm
KUALA LUMPUR: Vietnam match-winner Nguyen Xuan Son revealed that the "heavy" condition of the KLFA Stadium pitch disrupted the Golden Star Warriors' rhythm despite their 2-0 Asean Hyundai Cup semi-final first-leg win over Malaysia.
Vietnamese striker Nguyen Xuan Son admitted the heavy condition of the KLFA Stadium pitch hindered his country's rhythm in their 2-0 Asean Hyundai Cup semi-final first-leg win over Malaysia. Despite scoring a decisive header in the fifth minute of stoppage time, Son struggled with the grass's weight, saying, "The condition of the grass was very heavy, honestly, and it was difficult to adapt to at the beginning."
The Brazilian-born player, who broke the record for most goals by a Vietnamese player in the knockout stages, expressed his desire to help Vietnam win the trophy, stating, "I just had to stay patient for that one opportunity. I waited for the moment, and Tien Anh (Truong) delivered a great cross." Coach Kim Sang Sik appeared frustrated during the match, as his tactical plan didn't work well in the first half.
He acknowledged the tactical difficulties and vowed to analyze and correct the team's performance before the second leg in Hanoi. Vietnam's victory extended Sang Sik's unbeaten run with the national team to 23 matches.
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