Vietnam team returns home, Philippines flies 20 hours to Hanoi
It took just over three hours of flight from Bacolod for the Vietnamese team to arrive at Noi Bai Airport (Hanoi) to a warm welcome from fans. In another development, the Philippines, the opponent who lost 1-2 to the Vietnamese team in the first leg of the semi-final, had to travel up to 20 hours to get to Hanoi.
The direct flight carrying coach Park Hang Seo and his team along with a number of Vietnamese fans to Bacolod to watch the first leg of the semi-final landed at Noi Bai airport at 2:00 p.m. on December 3. Due to prior preparation, the members of the Vietnamese team were allowed to get off the plane at the front door (fans got off at the back door) and were given priority to go through immigration procedures at the priority counter.
Therefore, it did not take too much time for the players and the coaching staff of the Vietnamese team to get on the bus from Noi Bai airport to La Thanh hotel (Hanoi) at 3:00 p.m. to rest. During the direct flight back from Bacolod and even when they were at Noi Bai airport, the players of the Vietnamese team received special attention from the fans, even the flight attendants and staff of the airline on duty took the opportunity to take pictures or selfies with the players and coach Park Hang Seo.
However, to ensure the players have private, quiet space after the tense first leg of the semi-final, the coaching staff of the Vietnamese team asked fans to avoid disturbing the team while the players were taking a lunch break on the plane.
When the team arrived at Noi Bai airport, because the immigration procedures and baggage claim were completed quickly, the team did not have time to linger long to interact and take photos with the fans who came to welcome the team, but instead got on the bus to La Thanh hotel to rest before having a practice session tomorrow, December 4, to prepare for the second leg semi-final against the Philippines at 7:30 p.m. on December 6 at My Dinh National Stadium.
While his players rested on the plane, Coach Park Hang Seo opened his laptop to review the first leg of the semi-final, re-evaluating the Vietnamese team's playing style and the strengths and weaknesses of the Philippines.
With a 2-1 victory at Panaad Stadium in the Philippines, the Vietnamese team has created a big advantage in the competition for a ticket to the final of the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018, but as affirmed by coach Park Hang Seo at the press conference after the match, there is still a second leg match and the players need to continue to maintain the necessary concentration.
The 2-1 away win over the Philippines gave the team a huge morale boost, but the first time goalkeeper Dang Van Lam's net was shaken since the start of the 2018 AFF Suzuki Cup, the victory was still not perfect. The team must learn from their experience to better prepare for the rematch against the Philippines in the second leg, and the Vietnamese team aims to score more goals against goalkeeper Michael Aksel Bataican Falkesgaard.
Currently, the team spirit is very excited, striker Van Toan although did not go to the Philippines to play the first leg of the semi-final, but after the results of the re-examination from the doctors, he will most likely return to practice with the team. On the contrary, Duc Huy, who played as a central midfielder in the 2-1 victory over the Philippines on the evening of December 2, suffered a minor injury.
While the Vietnamese team was arranged a direct flight from Bacolod to Hanoi, the Philippines opponent on the morning of December 3 went from Bacolod to Manila, from there took a transit flight in Hong Kong and then to Hanoi. Thus, coach Sven Goran Eriksson's team spent the whole day of December 3 traveling and only had the first training session in Hanoi to prepare for the second leg of the semi-final on December 4. On Twitter, right-back of the Philippines team Martin Steuble wrote: "Three flights ahead and about 20 hours to get to Hanoi. It will be great."