AFF CUP 2022 Final: 'Attack' in the first leg, 'defend' firmly in the second leg?

It will be more than 14 years (2008-2022) before regional football repeats the final match between these two arch-rivals and whether the Vietnamese team will win the second consecutive victory against the Thais, take back the gold cup from the Thais or things will develop in another direction, is a question that is not easy to answer. Because at this point, no one dares to say "which cat bites which mouse" when the ball has not yet rolled.

24 years ago, at the AFF Cup 1998,Vietnam teamwith Mr. Calistore and the talented players Hong Son, Cong Vinh, Minh Phuong, Tai Em, Vu Phong, Quang Hai... won 2-1 in the first leg away. In the second leg, Minh Phuong's miraculous free kick and Cong Vinh's reverse header helped the home team draw and win the final result with a score of 3-2, winning the regional football gold cup for the first time.

A dangerous tackle by an Indonesian player in the match against the Vietnamese team. Photo: Hai Hoang

This time, meeting the Thais again in the final, the first leg took place at My Dinh Stadium with many advantages for the Vietnamese team. The "Golden Star Warriors" were led by a Korean coach, who won the gold cup 4 years ago, but against Malaysia, not Thailand. In the next tournament in 2020, the Korean coach lost to Thailand in the semi-finals, losing the gold cup, so this last meeting is a debt that must be paid, when Mr. Park Hang-seo has long been "making waves" in the region but has never won against Thailand. More importantly, after this tournament, Mr. Park will terminate his contract and end an unprecedented cycle of success for Vietnamese football.

Also in this "final battle", the Vietnamese team has in hand some top players (not present in the previous 2 unsuccessful semi-final matches) that will bring a lot of hope including Van Lam, Hung Dung, Van Hau... Meanwhile, the players who once made the Vietnamese team afraid, midfielder Chanathip or Supachock and Supachai... on the away team's side, are absent. Everyone knows that the Thais used to win the AFF Cup every time the team had the best player of the tournament, Chanathip (2014, 2016, 2020). Now this star is not playing because the home team does not "release" the player, Theerathon, the full-back, becomes the leader, plays in the center and acts as the trigger for the Thai team to advance to the final, meaning that their strength has not decreased?

Tien Linh scored a double to bring victory to the Vietnamese team against Indonesia. Photo: Hai Hoang

The two finals will be a fierce battle between Thailand, the team with the best attack (16 goals, 2 conceded) and Vietnam, the team with the second best attack (14 goals) and the best defense, not conceding a goal in 6 consecutive matches. In the first leg, playing at home, not having to travel after the second leg of the semi-finals, will Coach Park Hang-seo and his team create a big advantage, at least bigger than Malaysia did in the second leg of the semi-finals (only won 1-0 against Thailand). Remember that in both away matches against big opponents like Indonesia and Malaysia, the Thais failed to demonstrate their true strength (drawing 1-1 and losing 0-1). Will the Vietnamese team be able to do better than opponents like Indonesia and Malaysia, score more goals, hold back Dangda or Adisak, stop the explosive Theerathon to stop the ball supply...

Certainly the second leg away from home will not be easy for the Vietnamese team, although everyone believes that the red-shirted army will not be bullied like Malaysia in the second leg of the semi-final (losing 0-3 to the home team). Therefore, what needs to be done, what needs to be achieved the most, the safest is that Van Lam and the defense continue to not concede a goal, Tien Linh and his teammates attack and score as many goals as possible when playing at home. From there, create the biggest advantage for the second leg, making it impossible for the opponent to execute all plans as desired. If the Vietnamese team plays solidly in both finals, breaks the opponent's will from the beginning in both the first and second legs, meaning playing with more than 100% of their capacity, then the prestigious gold cup will return to us, although everything will be extremely tense, not easy at all./.