'The hero' on the right flank of the Vietnam national team

Should one choose a player who is silently enhancing the power of the Vietnamese national team under Kim Sang Sik, Truong Tien Anh is worthy of being named. Not by chance, following the 2-0 victory against Malaysia, he was selected by ASEAN Football as the Yanmar Most Energetic Player, the player with the most energy in the match.

Tien Anh is not the type of player who frequently appears on the scoreboard. But the value of the 27-year-old lies in his ability to attack and defend, create space, and especially his crosses, which are increasingly achieving impressive accuracy.

In Kuala Lumpur,Tien Anhcreated one of the turning points of the match. In the 45+5th minute, from a difficult pass from a teammate on the right flank, Tien Anh controlled the ball smoothly, evaded the challenge of a Malaysian defender, and then delivered a cross with a perfect landing point. Xuan Son moved at the right moment, leaped high to head the ball into the home team's net.

1-0 for Vietnam, that was not just an assist. It was a turning point that shattered Malaysia's defensive plans and opened the path to victory for Kim Sang Sik's team.

Tien Anh is proving why he is called"crossing machine"of the Vietnam national team. What is noteworthy is that this is not an isolated moment. In about 5 months, Tien Anh has had up to3 assists when Vietnam faced Malaysia, contributing to 5 goals of the national team.

The player born in 1999 once assisted Xuan Sonand Duy Manh to score, while also continuing to find his most compatible teammate in the penalty area in Kuala Lumpur.Tien Anhunderstands what Xuan Son needs, and Xuan Son also understands how dangerous Tien Anh's crosses can be.

Interestingly, Tien Anh is similar to Xuan Son in one aspect at the ASEAN Cup 2026: not every match is brilliant, but almost every match leaves a positive contribution.

Indonesia or Cambodia were not performances that make people remember Tien Anh much, but he still persistently carried out his duties, patiently created influence, and waited for his moment.

The Vietnam national team is currently forming a new look on the right flank. Xuan Manh has even been moved to play as a center-back, opening up space for Tien Anh to excel at the right-back position.

Tien Anh does not only defend. He has the ability to bring the ball forward, accelerate, create surprises, and most importantly, possesses quality final passes.

In a team with Xuan Son, Dinh Bac, and players with strong ability to penetrate the penalty area, a defender who knows how to cross well is like having an additional source of goal supply.

ASEAN Football recognized Tien Anh's performance with a high score and the title of most energetic player of the match. But perhaps even more commendable is his consistency. Tien Anh is becoming an important link in Coach Kim Sang Sik's system.

The midfielder from Ninh Binh does not need to be the most outstanding star of the match. As long as he continues to run, continue to cross, and continue to create balls that put teammates in favorable positions, Tien Anh can already make a difference.