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Striker Nguyen Xuan Son responded to criticism about his physique by counting his abs after scoring against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers Tuesday night.
Son, 29, initially struggled to find the net as Vietnam held a narrow 1-0 lead after a tight first half at Thien Truong Stadium on March 31, thanks to captain Do Duy Manh's goal.
The turning point arrived in the 51st minute when the naturalized duo Do Hoang Hen (Brazilian name Hendrio) and Son doubled the home team's advantage.
Capitalizing on a precise cross from Hen on the left flank, Son headed the ball into the near corner.
Immediately after scoring, he delivered a memorable celebration. He lifted his jersey, pointed to his abs and counted them one by one for the cameras as a response to recent doubts regarding his fitness.
His teammates rushed over to join the celebration as the home crowd erupted in joy.
Previously, Son had faced scrutiny over his form since returning from a severe leg fracture. Following a March 26 friendly against Bangladesh, debates sparked around his heavy movement on the pitch, which led people to question his fitness, with some speculating that he is overweight.
Head coach Kim Sang-sik declined to give a definitive answer, suggesting further testing was needed.
However, his brace against Malaysia, arriving just one day after his 29th birthday, provided the clearest response.
As the game loosened up in the second half, Vietnam's attacks on the flanks were more effective. Just eight minutes after his opening goal, Son completed his brace.
Following a build-up on the right flank, Truong Tien Anh delivered a perfectly weighted cross deep into the box. Son leaped high above the defense to head the ball into the far corner, leaving goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi no chance.
"When you score, everything becomes right," Son said after failing to find the net against Bangladesh in the friendly last week.
Not just Son, other attackers of Vietnam played a highly energetic game on Tuesday. Nguyen Quang Hai constantly created space, while Nguyen Hoang Duc hit the post with a blistering long-range shot in the first half.
The 3-1 win helped Vietnam conclude their 2027 Asian Cup qualifying campaign with a perfect record of six victories.
This also served as sweet revenge for the 0-4 defeat suffered in Kuala Lumpur in June 2025. While that match was ultimately awarded to Vietnam as a 3-0 default victory due to Malaysia's use of ineligible naturalized players, securing a legitimate victory later on provided a much more satisfying conclusion.
2027 Asian Cup qualifiers: Vietnam 3-1 Malaysia
