Xuân Son received high praise from the opposing team's coach despite failing to score

Even without scoring in the 1-1 draw at Thiên Trường, Xuân Son left a significant mark and earned praise from the Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh coach, as the visitors secured a thrilling equalizer in the last moments of added time.

After a tense 90 minutes, the Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh strategist could not hide his emotions when his team reclaimed a valuable point in the final seconds. Speaking in the press room, Coach Công Mạnh expressed special respect for Xuân Son. The Hà Tĩnh coach candidly admitted: “Xuân Son is an outstanding striker. There were moments when he hit the post, it wasn’t because we managed to block him. It’s almost impossible to completely neutralize a forward like him.”

Looking back at the dramatic draw at Thiên Trường, Coach Nguyễn Công Mạnh said the equalizing goal in stoppage time had great emotional significance for the whole team. He shared: “This is a positive result. I really have to thank the players for not giving up. At one point, when checking VAR, the whole team thought there would be a penalty, but it was a disappointment. However, the players encouraged each other that as long as there is time, they would keep fighting until the very last breath. That deeply moved me.”

From a technical perspective, the Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh coach observed two halves with different dynamics. He analyzed: “In the first half, we made defensive mistakes while Nam Định had more stamina and controlled the game. In the second half, I adjusted the lineup, switching to two forwards, which balanced the match. The real excitement only happened in the last 10 to 12 minutes.”

Besides tactical factors, the Hà Tĩnh coach particularly emphasized his players’ fighting spirit. He affirmed: “The never-give-up spirit is a hallmark of Hà Tĩnh. This is a consistent principle in both my approach and the team’s philosophy.”

Looking ahead, Hồng Lĩnh Hà Tĩnh will face their first match after the Tet break against longtime rivals Sông Lam Nghệ An. Although aiming for victory, Coach Công Mạnh remains cautious: “Everyone wants to win, but matches against Sông Lam over the years always bring unpredictable moments, especially in the final minutes. Games between these two teams often have surprises.”