AFF Cup 2018: “Lao Messi” Soukaphone Vongchi - formidable opponent of Vietnamese players
The Laos team is trying to keep a low profile before facing the Vietnam team. But that doesn't mean the team from the land of a million elephants can hide all of their "aces", especially "Lao Messi" Soukaphone Vongchiengkham.
Ahead of the 2018 AFF Cup, international media "examined" the Laos national team to come up with a few outstanding names. According to ESPN, the key to the team of the land of a million elephants is the 1m71 tall midfielder Khonesavanh Sihavong. This player who scored 5 goals in 27 appearances is considered the most experienced player in the Laos national team, because this midfielder scored against Malaysia in the 2012 AFF Cup.
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| There is too little information about the Laos team before the opening match of the Vietnam team on the evening of November 8. |
"He has improved steadily over the years and is now considered a leader on the field and in the dressing room of the Laos national team," Fox Sport Asia commented. In addition to Khonesavanh Sihavong, other names highly appreciated by the international media of the Laos national team are Phoutthasay Khochalern (Nakhon Pathom United) and Soukchinda Natphasouk (Lao Police Club).
However, with direct experience thanks to playing 1 season in Lao League, striker Nguyen Xuan Nam (Saigon FC) pointed out that the most dangerous player of the team of the land of a million elephants is Soukaphone Vongchiengkham. According to Xuan Nam, this player, considered as "Lao Messi", is the factor that coach Park Hang Seo's Vietnam team must lock down, if they want to complete the goal of getting all 3 points.
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"Lao Messi" Soukaphone Vongchiengkham is the most dangerous player, scoring 12 goals in 41 matches for the Laos national team. |
"He plays intelligently and is much more classy than other Lao players. That's why Soukaphone Vongchiengkham is called the Lao Messi," Xuan Nam has great respect for the 26-year-old midfielder, who is only 1m56 tall and plays for the Thai second-tier club Sisaket.
On the opposite side, Soukaphone Vongchiengkham also stressed the Vietnamese team when he declared that he wanted to win every match, including the opening match at the AFF Cup 2018. Vongchiengkham stressed: "The match against Vietnam is extremely difficult for the Lao team, but we want to affirm that the Lao team wants to win every match."
