KUALA LUMPUR: Vietnam striker Rafaelson Bezerra took every crunching challenge Malaysia’s defenders could throw at him on Sunday.
And he responded perfectly with a header that put Vietnam firmly in control of their Hyundai AFF Cup semi-final tie, which eventually saw them winning 2-0 in the first leg at the Cheras Football Stadium.
Their second came via a late own goal from Faris Danish Asrul.
The Brazilian-born forward, playing under his naturalised name Nguyen Xuan Son, was the target of repeated physical attention from Harimau Malaya’s back line.
“It was a very physical game. I had to make a lot of runs behind the defensive line and battle with defenders,” Xuan Son said.
“But I like these games because I have the physicality for it, and it helps me grow.
“In the beginning, it was a bit difficult. I needed time to adapt to the field conditions, which were different. I just needed opportunity inside the box. If the ball comes into the box, I can score a lot of goals.”
With the second leg looming at the MyDinh Stadium in Hanoi tomorrow, Xuan Son does not expect Malaysia to soften their approach.
“I don’t think Hanoi will be any different,” he said. “Coach Kim Sang-sik and all the staff prepared us well for this competitive match.”
Sang-sik struck a cautious tone despite the two-goal cushion.
“It wasn’t so much dissatisfaction with external things as it was that our prepared play didn’t come out in the first half. I was disappointed by that,” said Sang-sik.
“However, when the team scored that clear header near the end, even if I didn’t show it on the outside, I was thrilled on the inside.”
Sang-sik also praised goalkeeper Patrick Le Giang, who made key saves in both halves and survived a VAR review after initially being sent off for handling the ball outside his box.
“He plays with tremendous passion, physicality, and sharp decision-making. As our last line of defence, he leads the defenders with great responsibility,” he said.
