Tie with Thailand, Vietnam becomes former AFF Cup champion

Hoang Duc regrets that Vietnam missed many opportunities that could have been converted into goals. Photo: Internet

With a 0-2 loss in the first leg against the team from the Golden Temple country, this match is predicted to be very difficult for coachPark Hang-seo.

In order to avoid being caught out, Mr. Park made 5 substitutions compared to the previous match. The biggest surprise was that Duc Chinh played from the start instead of Cong Phuong. The 3 strikers of Vietnam in this return match were Van Duc, Tien Linh, Duc Chinh.Quang Haiwill play as a free midfielder, with the qualities of a star, he is expected to explode at the right time to solve the match.

On the other side of the front line, Mr. Polking did not hide his defensive style of play, with 2 changes compared to the previous match to increase the strength of the back line.

With the mission of winning by at least 2 goals, the Golden Star Warriors entered the match with great determination. The Vietnamese team pressed high from the start. The good ability of the strikers in the front line prevented Thailand from deploying the ball to our team's field. The presence of 2 skilled players, Quang Hai and Phan Van Duc, caused quite a bit of confusion for the defense of Mr. Polking's team.

The speed of play was pushed up very high by Mr. Park's students from the first minutes of the match. Creating terrible pressure, the Vietnamese team had many clear opportunities.

In the 4th minute of the match, after a chaotic situation in Thailand's penalty area, Quang Hai finished with his right foot, sending the ball right to the position chosen by goalkeeper Chatchai.

The Vietnamese players' playing style is very diverse, from attacking the two wings and then passing back to the second line to finish. Or the central coordination, then launching passes into the armpits of the opponent's full-back and center-back, which are applied quite smoothly by Mr. Park's students.

Proof of those combinations was the clear opportunity for the Vietnamese team in the 23rd minute of the match. From Quang Hai's pass, Tan Tai quickly ran up from the right wing to receive the ball, then unleashed a powerful left-footed shot, but the ball went over the crossbar.

To defend against Vietnam's attacks, the Thai defenders did not hesitate to commit many fouls. Photo: Internet

During the 30 minutes of the match, Thailand's ball control rate was slightly better, but the opportunities created were tilted towards the Vietnamese team. Phan Van Duc's mobility and enthusiasm created storms for goalkeeper Chatchai's goal. Duc "Cot"'s efforts were shown in the opportunity he created in the 35th minute. With a high-speed run, the SLNA midfielder forced the Thai defender to commit a foul in front of the penalty area. After that, Quang Hai took a tricky free kick, but substitute goalkeeper Siwarak successfully blocked it.

With highly unpredictable attacks on both wings, Mr. Park's students have made the Thai central defenders miss many times. Specifically, in the extra minutes of the first half, the opportunity was completely clear for the Golden Star Warriors, but Quang Hai unfortunately missed it. That was from Hong Duy's move down the left wing, this defender had a cross inside for midfielder number 19 of Vietnam, but in a situation where no one was marking him, the Hanoi Club striker shot over the bar.

Overall in the first half, Mr. Park's team had a good game against Thailand. There were many ways to approach Siwarak's goal, but bad luck still followed our team.

With the desire to create more pressure, as soon as the second half started, Mr. Park sent Cong Phuong onto the field. With his forte of making fast and tricky breakthroughs, the HAGL striker was a breath of fresh air in the front line. With the spirit of Vietnamese warriors, the players attacked tirelessly. The Korean coach played an all-in gamble when he continued to send Van Toan onto the field at the beginning of the second half. To limit Vietnam's attacking power, Coach Polking proactively played in a "bus parking" style in front of the penalty area.

The final minutes of the match witnessed a one-sided game for our team, however, opportunities kept passing by the shoes of Mr. Park's students.

Although we could not create a comeback against the Land of Golden Pagodas, the spirit and playing style of the Vietnamese players are commendable. Our team had a match that completely overwhelmed our opponents.

With this draw, Thailand has turned the Vietnamese team into a former AFF Cup champion. There will be many regrets for fans when the golden star warriors cannot successfully defend the championship. But with this golden generation, we have shown a completely different face in the regional arena compared to before. Mr. Park's army has shown that they are a team of higher class in Southeast Asia.

Starting lineup:

Thailand:Chatchai - Narubadin, Bihr, Kritsada, Theerathon - Thitiphan, Sarach, Phitiwat, Chanathip - Teerasil, Pathompon.

Vietnam:Nguyen Manh - Tan Tai, Thanh Chung, Ngoc Hai, Tien Dung, Hong Duy - Quang Hai, Hoang Duc, Van Duc - Tien Linh, Duc Chinh.