The 'Perfect Pair' Son - Hen share a heartfelt embrace in Vietnam's triumphant victory over Malaysia

Following their seamless collaboration in scoring, Xuan Son and Hoang Hen shared an affectionate embrace, celebrating their reunion after a lengthy separation from playing together.

On the evening of March 31st, the Vietnamese national team secured a satisfying 3-1 victory against Malaysia in the final qualifying round for the 2027 Asian Cup. The three goals for the red-shirted team were scored by Duy Manh (6') and a double from Xuan Son (52', 59').

Notably, the second goal was heavily influenced by the "perfect pair" Xuan Son and Hoang Hen. In the 52nd minute, receiving a through pass from a teammate, Hoang Hen dribbled past defenders down the flank and delivered a cross for Xuan Son to head home from close range. The ball, placed softly into a narrow angle, was enough to leave Malaysian goalkeeper Syihan Hazmi helpless.

Immediately after scoring, Xuan Son ran straight to Hoang Hen to celebrate. The two shared a heartfelt, joyful embrace, embodying the happiness of reunited teammates.

Son and Hen are highly compatible teammates, having played together for many years across different clubs such as Binh Dinh and Nam Dinh. Exactly on March 31, 2025, one year ago, Hoang Hen bid farewell to Thanh Nam club to join Hanoi FC. Since then, fans have once again witnessed them playing together in the same team colors.

After the match, Xuan Son showered Hoang Hen with praise. "Hen is an exceptional player. Hen controls the game and delivers quality passes to the forwards. Our excellent connection stems from playing together for a very long time. That is a great advantage for the national team,"Xuan Son stated.

Just seven minutes after the second goal, Xuan Son once again ignited his "home" stadium, Thien Truong, with a header that raised the score to 3-0 following a precise cross from Truong Tien Anh. The double against the "Malaysian Tigers" served as a clear demonstration of the class and form of the 1997-born striker, addressing recent public pressure.

For the Vietnamese national team, the victory enabled the entire squad to become the sole Southeast Asian team to secure a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup finals with a perfect winning record.