Thai players provoke Vietnam; Tien Dung and Dinh Trong return before the second leg of the semi-finals
(Baonghean.vn) - Left-back Theerathon Bunmathan's unsportsmanlike behavior caused a heated argument between the coaching staff of Vietnam and Thailand after the first leg of the AFF Cup 2020 semi-final; The Vietnamese central defender duo has completed their physical training and can be registered to compete... are notable sports news in the past 24 hours.
Afterbeat Vietnam 2-0, Thai players walked around the field to greet the fans. When they got close to the Vietnamese coaching staff, a member of the Organizing Committee had to run out to stop them.
However, Theerathon Bunmathan still deliberately turned towards Vietnam to clap his hands in celebration, and made a pouty gesture. Goalkeeper Chatchai raised his hand to point at his head - a gesture often used to imply that someone else was thoughtless. A Thai assistant also rushed towards the Vietnamese technical area, despite the organizers' dissuasion.
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| Coaching staff of Thailand and Vietnam argued after the match at Singapore National Stadium. |
Coach Park Hang-seo was upset by his opponent's provocative actions, and the exchange of words escalated the tension. Head of the Vietnam team Doan Anh Tuan asked the Thai team to disperse. The members of the organizing committee had to stand in a fence, separating the two sides.
Bunmathan was Thailand’s most active player. He was the one who hit Nguyen Quang Hai in the face but was not punished by the referee. Before that, the 31-year-old left-back received a yellow card for fouling Nguyen Van Toan.
Tien Dung and Dinh Trong return before the second leg of the semi-finals
Tien Dung has recovered from the knee injury he suffered before the first leg of the semi-final against Thailand. The injury forced him to sit out the 0-2 defeat on December 23. During the afternoon training session on December 24 at Hougang Stadium, the Viettel Club midfielder put on his playing boots. He completed a fitness test to prepare for his return before the second leg.
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| Tien Dung in the afternoon practice session on December 24. |
The absence of Dinh Trong and Tien Dung in the previous match created conditions for Nguyen Thanh Binh and Bui Hoang Viet Nam to register to play for the first time. Both have not had the opportunity to play in the AFF Cup 2020.
Vietnam team encouraged after losing to Thailand
In difficult times, the Vietnamese team is always supported by fans and philanthropists across the country. Everyone is confident that the Vietnamese team will continue to advance to the AFF Cup final.
A representative of the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF) shared that Next Media Solutions Joint Stock Company has donated 30,000 Singapore dollars (equivalent to 500 million VND) to the team.
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| The Vietnamese team faces difficulties but always has support from fans. Photo: Getty Images. |
The Vietnamese team has just lost to Thailand in the first leg of the AFF Cup 2020 semi-finals. Despite the defeat, Quang Hai and his teammates still have 90 minutes ahead to change the situation and continue their journey to defend the throne. That belief is sent by many fans and benefactors to Coach Park Hang-seo and his team through the VFF.
A representative of the VFF said that after the match, many fans sent emails and messages of support and encouragement to the team. They hope that Coach Park and his team will achieve good results in the second leg.
