AFF Cup Final First Leg: Hardship reveals true heroism.

The 2-2 draw at home for the Vietnamese national team against their arch-rivals Thailand in the first leg of the 2022 AFF Cup final wasn't a "disaster," but it's fair to say it felt like a loss. The disadvantage in the second leg will increase significantly. To turn the tide, Coach Park Hang-seo's team would need at least a similar 2-2 draw to bring things back to square one, and only then could they consider "fighting to the end," scoring a goal, or at worst, taking the match to a penalty shootout.

The moment Tiến Linh scored the opening goal. Photo: Hải Hoàng

The Vietnamese team had a good first half, with Ngoc Hai advancing into the penalty area at least three times, but the Thais seemed unable to react in time. Then, with just a long diagonal pass to the right wing (a position where Van Hau usually pushes forward but was tightly marked in this match), Ngoc Hai delivered a pass into the box like a true playmaker, and Tien Linh leaped to head the ball into the net, scoring the opening goal.

The Thai team failed to accomplish their objective of stopping Tien Linh, despite their earlier confident and emphatic statements. With the two wingers unable to push forward and the midfield surrounded by five Thai players, Coach Park Hang-seo took a risky and skillful gamble by allowing center-back Ngoc Hai to move forward, penetrate deep into the opponent's defense, and create an effective surprise attack.

It's safe to say that the first half was a good one for Coach Park Hang-seo and his team, as they executed all their planned strategies smoothly.

Unfortunately, the second half was an excellent performance from Polking and Theerathon's team. Among the three central defenders of the Vietnamese national team, across many matches, it's clear that only Ngoc Hai and Tien Dung have performed their duties best, while the third-choice defender, successively swapped between Duy Manh, Thanh Chung, Thanh Binh, and Viet Anh, has shown a significant "discrepancy" compared to the aforementioned two senior players.

In this crucial match, it seems that coach Park Hang-seo made a mistake from the start by using Duy Mạnh, given his experience and resilience. But everyone knows that Duy Mạnh didn't play well in the first leg of the semi-final against Indonesia and was even substituted. The first goal conceded at the beginning of the second half was due to a misjudgment by Duy Mạnh, and of course, the midfielders' failure to close down Theerathon was a contributing factor.

Coach Park Hang-seo then replaced Duy Manh with Viet Anh, but due to the crucial reason of pushing the defense too high, Viet Anh didn't have time to "warm up," causing the red team's offside trap to fail for the second time, and the Thais scored two goals "as easily as turning a hand."

A defense considered one of the most solid suddenly crumbled against a seasoned opponent who capitalized on opportunities exceptionally well, and above all, the Thais had enough substitutes to both create chances effectively and finish them off perfectly when opportunities arose.

Van Thanh celebrates his precious goal. Photo: Hai Hoang

Van Thanh's late goal, aided by substitutes Van Quyet and Thanh Binh, rekindled Vietnam's chances in the return leg away from home. Of course, everyone knows that when returning to their "sacred ground," the Thai team's strength will increase significantly. Recently, Coach Polking's team easily scored three goals against their rivals Malaysia in the second leg of the semi-final, despite losing 0-1 in the first leg away. While this is a theoretical chance, whether the visiting team can actually overcome the odds is another matter entirely.

Let's recall the 2008 AFF Cup away from home, where Coach Calistore's team unexpectedly won 2-1 against the powerful Thai team and then had to settle for a somewhat fortunate draw in the return leg at home to win the prestigious gold trophy for the first time. Will history guide Coach Park Hang-seo's team to a 1-0 victory, for example, to extinguish the opponent's dreams? Fourteen years ago, Hong Son played exceptionally well, neutralizing most of the Thai team's powerful shots. Will Van Lam be able to do the same this coming Monday? And most importantly, will our players find a way to minimize the risks posed by the outstanding playmaker Theerathon? After what was revealed in the first leg, will the Vietnamese national team's defense be strengthened in time to become as solid as possible against the not-so-unfamiliar or surprising attacks of the Thais?

Coach Park Hang-seo's final battle as head coach of the Vietnamese national team is an immense challenge, but not insurmountable. In times of hardship, one must "show their true colors." There are many reasons why Coach Park Hang-seo and his team should play a memorable match against an opponent they have never beaten during their most glorious period in the region and continent. On the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Tiger, the red-shirted team convincingly defeated their neighbor China 3-1. So, on the 25th day of the 12th lunar month of the Tiger year, will Coach Park Hang-seo and his team overthrow the Thais, reclaim the gold cup, and celebrate the 2023 Lunar New Year as true heroes?