Vietnam's strongest lineup vs Bangladesh: Xuan Son as substitute

Vietnam enters the friendly match against Bangladesh at 19:00 on March 26 at Hang Day Stadium with the goal of reviewing the squad and optimizing the lineup.

It is anticipated that Coach Kim Sang Sik will continue to use the familiar 3-4-3 formation. In goal, Filip Nguyen is likely to be chosen due to his stable performance and extensive experience. The trio of central defenders, consisting of Doan Van Hau (left side), Do Duy Manh (center), and Bui Hoang Viet Anh (right side), is expected to provide solidity for the defense.

In the midfield, the central midfield pair Nguyen Hoang Duc and Le Pham Thanh Long will take on the role of orchestrating the play. The wing positions will be occupied by Cao Pendant Quang Vinh on the left and Truong Tien Anh on the right, players known for their good attacking support and speed in transition situations.

On the forward line, Do Hoang Hen is likely to play on the left flank, while Nguyen Hai Long takes charge of the right wing. In the center forward position, Pham Gia Hung may be given the chance to start, replacing Nguyen Xuan Son. This forward is currently in quite impressive form with 3 goals in 12 matches in this season's V.League.

Notably, earlier on the afternoon of March 21, Xuan Son had to leave the team's first training session due to physical condition issues. However, by March 24, this player had returned to normal training. It is likely that Coach Kim Sang Sik will only introduce Xuan Son into the match from the second half to help him regain good ball feel and conserve energy for the match against Malaysia on March 31.

Additionally, the Korean coach is also predicted to rotate the lineup in the second half. Names such as Dinh Trong, Viet Cuong, Ngoc Bao, or Nhat Minh could be given opportunities to assess their capabilities and create competition within the squad.

Regarding the context, Vietnam has not played many matches since last November, except for a 2-0 victory over Laos in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. Notably, Malaysia's 0-3 forfeiture helped the Vietnam team officially secure a ticket to the 2027 Asian Cup finals, thereby reducing pressure for the upcoming match.

Nevertheless, the encounter with Bangladesh still holds significant meaning as it is an occasion for the coaching staff to evaluate the entire squad. The opponent Bangladesh is not highly rated, but it remains a suitable test for Vietnamese players to demonstrate their capabilities.