Portuguese Coach Speaks Frankly About Xuân Son’s Class After His Two-Goal Performance

After Thep Xanh Nam Dinh’s commanding 3-0 win against Lion City Sailors, which guaranteed their place in the Shopee Cup 2025/26 semifinals ahead of schedule, head coach Mauro Jerónimo made some significant remarks during the post-game press briefing.

On the evening of January 29, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh club achieved a 3-0 win over Lion City Sailors club, thereby officially securing a spot in the Shopee Cup 2025/26 semifinal round.

Evaluating the team’s performance, coach Mauro Jerónimo described the match as a “perfect and complete” game for Thep Xanh Nam Dinh. The Portuguese coach was particularly pleased with the defensive discipline and the players' adherence to tactical instructions:

“We all know Lion City Sailors are a strong team. Although the goal was to win, my top priority was to keep a clean sheet. The players executed this flawlessly, even exceeding the coaching staff’s expectations,” Coach Mauro emphasized.

Speaking about the individual Nguyễn Xuân Son, the author of the two goals in the match, Thep Xanh Nam Dinh’s head coach expressed pride not only in the goals but also in the all-around fighting spirit of the striker. He stated: “Xuân Son didn’t just score; he also contributed defensively and pressed very effectively. The second goal was a direct result of successful pressing.”

Notably, coach Mauro revealed that Xuân Son has not yet reached his peak fitness and form following an injury, while also presenting an optimistic outlook: “Imagine how dangerous Xuân Son will be once he returns to 100% fitness.”

Alongside the joy of victory, coach Mauro also expressed concern about the upcoming tight schedule, as Nam Dinh will have to play away against Thanh Hoa just two days later: “Usually, a player needs about 72 hours to recover, but we only have 48 hours. The coaching staff will have to find ways to shorten the recovery process and hope the entire team maintains their spirit to aim for the best possible result,” Coach Mauro shared.