Excluding Cong Vinh, ESPN chooses Thanh Luong in AFF Cup's typical lineup

The famous American sports channel ESPN has named two Vietnamese national players in the AFF Suzuki Cup 2014 best squad. Pham Thanh Luong and Que Ngoc Hai were the chosen ones.

Thanh Luong was also voted the best player in Vietnam's 2-1 victory over Malaysia in the first leg of the AFF Cup semi-final.

Below is ESPN's list of the 11 best names of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2014. The team is arranged in a 4-1-4-1 formation with a coach.

Goalkeeper: Kawin Thamsatchanan (Thailand)

Taking over the captaincy from Adul Lahso, Thamsatchanan had a great AFF Cup, inspiring the team to victory. His four saves indirectly led Thailand to the championship. Thamsatchanan's top performance was shown in the 2-0 win over Malaysia in the first leg of the final, where Thamsatchanan frustrated Malaysia's best strikers.

Left back: Perapat Notechaiya (Thailand)

Notechaiya's solidity is the primary reason why Kroekrit Thaweekarn can be free to support the only striker Adisak Kraison in the Thai national team's attack. With six shots and more than 200 successful passes, Notechaiya has an impressive record for a left-back.

Center back: Shukor Adan (Malaysia)

Returning to the national team at the age of 35, Shukor Adan has proven to the whole of Southeast Asia that his class cannot be faded. Witnessing the difference between the Malaysian defense without Adan and with Adan in the two semi-final matches against Vietnam, we will understand why Mr. Dollah Salleh decided to call him back.

Center back: Tanaboon Kesarat (Thailand)

Excellent reading of the game and excellent tackling are the weapons of 21-year-old Tanaboon Kesarat. The former Thailand U23 player also showed his versatility when playing as a defensive midfielder in the 2-0 victory over Myanmar in the group stage.

Right back: Que Ngoc Hai (Vietnam)

If Thailand has Tanaboon Kesarat, the Vietnamese team is also proud of Que Ngoc Hai. Speedy and strong, the 21-year-old player has won the full trust of the strict coach Toshiya Miura. Ngoc Hai is also the one who scored the first goal for the Vietnamese team in the AFF Cup in the match against Indonesia.

The weakness that Ngoc Hai needs to improve is concentration. We saw how he was “tortured” by Amri Yahyah and Indra Putra Mahayuddin in the second leg of the semi-final against Malaysia at My Dinh. If he continues to develop well, Ngoc Hai will be the number one choice for the right wing of the Vietnamese team for many years to come.

Midfielder: Hariss Harun (Singapore)

Hariss Harun is one of the most special names in the AFF Cup Best XI. He only played three matches in the group stage because Singapore was eliminated. But the impression the captain of the defending champions made was extremely good. His peak was a double against Myanmar in Singapore's 4-2 victory in the group stage.

Midfielder: Amri Yahyah (Malaysia)

Who can forget Amri’s perfect lob that left Thai goalkeeper Kawin “frozen” in the group stage clash between the two teams? Coach Kiatisak described Amri as someone who could start for any team in the Thai Premier League. That is perhaps the simplest description of this talented winger.

Midfielder: Charyl Chappuis (Thailand)

Four goals, 246 passes, the U17 World Cup winner has shown his worth. Sharp, intelligent, quick, a passer, dribbler and finisher, Chappuis has it all. He will most likely return to Europe in the near future.

Midfielder: Chanathip Songkrasin (Thailand)

Check out Chanathip's stats: 20 assists, 12 shots, 2 goals, 85.6% passing accuracy. What more could you ask for from a midfielder? Like teammate Charyl, Chanathip is also set to join Hamburg in the Bundesliga in the near future.

Midfielder: Pham Thanh Luong (Vietnam)

Starting as a right midfielder under coach Miura, Thanh Luong has always been effective in every situation he touches the ball. His ability to move wide into the middle and his deadly passes have helped him become the soul of Vietnam's playing style.

Forward: Phil Younghusband (Philippines)

It’s strange that people still doubt Phil Younghusband’s ability. This actor-like striker has proven his ability time and time again in many tournaments. At this AFF Cup, he has two goals and three successful assists.

Substitutes: Hassan Sunny (Singapore), Simone Rota (Philippines), Le Phuoc Tu (Vietnam), Safiq Rahim (Malaysia), Kroekrit Thaweekarn (Thailand), Indra Putra Mahayuddin (Malaysia), Le Cong Vinh (Vietnam)

Coach: Kiatisak Senamuang (Thailand)

Winning the SEA Games gold medal in 2013, winning the AFF Cup in 2014, the legendary player Kiatisak is on the path to becoming a legendary coach. With Kiatisak's generation, Thai football has begun to dream of bigger dreams. That is the 2018 World Cup and the 2016 Rio Olympics.

According to Vietnam+