Coach Kim Sang-sik: 'The victory over Man Utd is an unforgettable moment in my career'

On the evening of May 28, at Bukit Jalil Stadium (Malaysia), the Southeast Asian All-Stars team created an earthquake when they defeated Manchester United with a score of 1-0, within the framework of the "Red Devils" Asian tour.

Speaking after the match, head coach Kim Sang-sik could not hide his excitement: “I am very happy with the 1-0 victory over MU today. The players played excellently with high performance, despite only having 2 days of training to prepare. I would like to express my deep gratitude to the fans, reporters and everyone who contributed to creating such a wonderful event today.”

Coach Kim also praised midfielder Nguyen Hai Long - a Vietnamese player who had just joined the team one day before the match: "Personally, Hai Long played impressively with good physical strength and spirit, not only in this match but also for the Vietnam national team. This is a promising talent and I hope coach Amorim will keep an eye on him."

Commenting on Man Utd's physical condition, he said: "Man Utd is a big team with many fans, but maybe due to the long distance travel, different weather and cuisine, they were not in the best physical condition today. However, this is still a strong opponent, and the match helps Southeast Asian players learn a lot to approach world football level."

When asked about the missed chances in the match, coach Kim admitted: “We could have scored more goals but one goal was enough to make this a historic victory. Today was a really great moment and I will never forget it.”

In addition, the Korean coach also explained the reason for giving the captain's armband to Malaysian-born player Sergio Aguero: "He plays an important role in boosting the team's spirit. Aguero and I will meet again in a few days, when Vietnam visits Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers."

The only scorer Mg Mg Lwin expressed his emotions: “Until now, I still can't believe I scored against Man Utd. This is true and I am very happy. Even though it was just one goal, it was enough to help Southeast Asian football create a historic victory.”

After the match, coach Kim Sang-sik and his team will return to Vietnam to prepare for the important match against Malaysia in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers. This is considered a key match, where he and his players will apply valuable experiences from the recent friendly match to aim for the best results./.