Xuân Son is fatigued.

Nam Định's five consecutive victories under coach Vũ Hồng Việt concluded in a way nobody anticipated. The 1-2 defeat against HAGL right at Thiên Trường demonstrated Xuân Son's excessive burden and this team's instability.

The five exhilarating victories ofNam Định, spanning from V-League to the National Cup 2025/26, once fostered hopes for a breakthrough in the second phase of the season.

But when everything seemed smooth, Nam Định's fans were stunned. The 1-2 defeat to HAGL felt like a sudden, dizzying "brake slam."

More notably, their opponent was a team in distress, battling relegation under coach Lê Quang Trãi.

Nam Định had home advantage but was almost completely stifled. HAGL played with great discipline and waited for counter-attacking opportunities. One VAR decision denying the visitors' goal wasn't enough to alert the Thiên Trường home team.

Then, late in the first half, Batista coldly punished the defensive error by scoring, putting HAGL ahead.

In the second half,Nam Địnhhad their first significant chance only from Caio Cesar's long-range shot hitting the post. Their play became monotonous, mainly relying on crosses from the wings. Hoàng Anh's equalizer in the 72nd minute also came from such a situation, but that was nearly the sole bright spot.

The match could have taken a different turn ifNam Địnhhad been awarded a penalty in the incident where Xuân Soncollided with Quang Kiệt. However, after consulting VAR, referee Trung Kiên refused. It must also be noted that luck didn't favor the hosts, as VAR seemingly didn't provide a favorable angle for referee Trung Kiên to review that situation.

That decision further deepened the home team's stagnation. And when morale hadn't stabilized, goalkeeper Nguyên Mạnh's personal error became the turning point. His careless pass allowed Ngọc Lâm to strike from distance, sealing the 2-1 victory for HAGL.

This defeat prevented Xuân Son and his teammates from breaking away in the top race and also sounded a warning bell about their instability. With 24 points after round 18, coach Vũ Hồng Việt's team remains in 7th place, a position not matching the reigning champion's ambitions.

Xuân Son clearly cannot carry Nam Định indefinitely. After returning from a serious injury, Son has played continuously. The striker born in 1997 has scored 13 goals this season, but only 2 are from V-League.

This reflects the reality that Son is "carrying" too much for both club and national team. When physical condition is no longer optimal, a drop in performance is inevitable. And when Xuân Son is silent, Nam Định's attack nearly loses direction.

Young defender Quang Kiệt rendering Son powerless is also a detail highlighting this forward's issue. And not only Xuân Son, striker Akolo, who had been in high form, almost "vanished" throughout the match.