Question marks over Vietnam national team's attacking line

In just a few days, the Vietnam national team will enter a crucial series of matches in March, notably the encounter with Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. However, looking at the current form of key forwards in the V-League, coach Kim Sang Sik likely has much to ponder.

The Vietnam national team's attack is experiencing a rare period of inefficiency, as most of the summoned players are struggling with scoring.

The most notable case is Nguyễn Tiến Linh. The striker considered Vietnam football's top scorer for many years is still struggling to find his fourth goal in the V-League. Last season, Tiến Linh exploded with 13 goals and finished second in the Golden Boot race, but the captain of Ho Chi Minh City Police is going through a worrying slump.

Since scoring against SLNA in late September 2025, the 29-year-old forward has gone through 11 consecutive V-League matches without scoring for his club. Coach Lê Huỳnh Đức still provides maximum opportunities for Tiến Linh to play regularly, but his contribution to the team remains quite limited.

The headers that were once this striker's "brand" are also no longer as sharp as before. After many months of play, Tiến Linh has only scored 3 goals, a number too modest compared to expectations.

Not much better, Hanoi FC's striker Tuấn Hải is also experiencing a forgetable streak. Although the Capital team is performing brilliantly and is among the leaders, Tuấn Hải has not scored in his last 5 matches. His last goal for Hanoi FC was back in November 2025.

Coach Harry Kewell still places trust in the 28-year-old forward, but clearly Tuấn Hải has not delivered the expected effectiveness. For a forward with the ability to storm through defenses and create breakthroughs like Tuấn Hải, his prolonged silence is becoming a concerning issue.

Two other forwards in the Vietnam national team list, Đinh Thanh Bình and Nguyễn Trần Việt Cường, also do not have better form. Việt Cường has scored 3 goals in this season's V-League, equal to Tiến Linh and Tuấn Hải, but his recent performance has been very erratic.

Without the penalty goal that helped him "break the drought" in Becamex Bình Dương's win over Ho Chi Minh City Police in early March, the goal-less streak of the 2000-born forward might have continued even longer.

In reality, Việt Cường has also only scored 1 goal in his last 6 matches, and even had to play while not fully fit as the Thủ team lacked experienced personnel.

Meanwhile, Gia Hưng of Ninh Bình FC just scored a consolation goal in round 16 during the loss to Hanoi Police, but that goal only helped the 2000-born forward raise his season tally to 3 goals, while also ending a streak of 5 consecutive matches without scoring. Having to compete with many foreign players on Ninh Bình's attack line means Gia Hưng doesn't get many playing opportunities, leading to unstable form.

Even forward Nguyễn Xuân Son has not yet rediscovered his "assassin" instinct after returning from injury. The 1997-born striker has only scored 1 goal after 6 matches in the V-League and has often shown impatience and lack of composure when presented with opportunities.

When a series of forwards are all struggling to regain their scoring touch, the attacking puzzle for the Vietnam national team becomes more worrisome than ever. In that context, many opinions suggest coach Kim Sang Sik could consider new options, even boldly giving opportunities to names currently in better form.

One notable suggestion is Hoàng Hên, the recently naturalized player who is performing very impressively for Hanoi FC with 6 goals and 4 assists in his last 10 matches. Hoàng Hên's versatility, wide-ranging activity, and strong competitive spirit could bring a fresh breath of life to the attack.

Additionally, young faces from the Vietnam U23 team are also likely to be summoned to increase competition and spread positive atmosphere within the national team.

Nevertheless, for now coach Kim Sang Sik may still have to place trust in familiar names. The most important thing at this moment is that coach Kim Sang Sik's forwards need to quickly regain confidence and scoring feeling, because against a tough opponent like Malaysia, if the Vietnam national team's attack continues to lack sharpness as it does now, all tactical plans could become meaningless.