5 highlights after the Vietnam - Philippines match (2 - 1)

Finals after 10 years

With a 2-1 victory over the Philippines in the second leg of the semi-final (the aggregate score after two matches is 4-2), Coach Park Hang-seo and his team have officially entered the final of the AFF Cup 2018. This is a very impressive achievement for Que Ngoc Hai and his teammates, because it took the Vietnamese team exactly 10 years since the AFF Cup 2008 to pass the semi-finals. The AFF Cup 2018 championship is very close to Coach Park Hang-seo and his team.

The joy of Vietnamese fans. Photo: Archive

Extending the unbeaten streak

Currently, the Vietnamese team is holding the longest unbeaten streak in the world, with 14 matches (7 wins, 7 draws). More than 2 years have passed since the 1-2 loss to Indonesia in the first leg of the AFF Cup 2016 semi-finals (December 3, 2016), and the Vietnamese team has not suffered another defeat. Vietnamese football fans are hoping that this record will be extended, at least after the 2 final matches with Malaysia.

The Vietnamese team is holding an unbeaten record. Photo: Archive

Nguyen Cong Phuong is a "super reserve"

Coach Park Hang-seo sent him onto the field in the 83rd minute, but just 4 minutes later, the Nghe An player scored to raise the score to 2-0 for the Vietnamese team. It seems that the Korean strategist is considering Nguyen Cong Phuong as a strategic card, when he left him on the bench at the beginning of the match and only sent him onto the field at the end of the match to maximize his technical dribbling ability.

Nguyen Cong Phuong celebrates his goal. Photo: Archive

Minus points for Luong Xuan Truong

The HAGL player was the most disappointing face of the Vietnamese team in the second leg of the semi-final. During the more than 60 minutes on the field, Luong Xuan Truong did not leave much of an impression, except for his poor passes and extremely poor one-on-one competition. With his recent poor performance, it will be difficult for Luong Xuan Truong to be in the starting lineup of the Vietnamese team in the upcoming first leg of the final against Malaysia.

Luong Xuan Truong had a poor match. Photo: Internet

Nguyen Quang Hai has returned to himself.

In the first matches of the AFF Cup 2018, the midfielder of Hanoi FC was arranged by coach Park Hang-seo to play in the central midfield position and could not prove his inherent ability. But everything changed when in the recent matches, Nguyen Quang Hai was able to return to his familiar position in the attack of the Vietnamese team.

Nguyen Quang Hai's beautiful overhead kick. Photo: Archive

The midfielder wearing the number 19 shirt has returned to his usual form with his dribbling and finishing moves. His performance in the second leg of the semi-final against the Philippines is a clear proof. Nguyen Quang Hai was the one who opened the scoring for his team, after a "set-up" by Phan Van Duc.