Coach Park and the mission of 'rewriting history' against Thailand at SEA Games 30
(Baonghean.vn) - Thailand is not always strong, but in 9 encounters at the SEA Games, we only got 2 draws and lost 7 matches. Even at the 2003 SEA Games, playing at home, "Golden Boy" Van Quyen and his teammates still lost 1-2.
Until now, millions of Vietnamese football fans still wonder why since 1995 we have won against all the teams in Southeast Asia but have not had a single victory against Thailand every time the two teams met at the SEA Games.
Looking back
It can be said that, considering the history of confrontation between Vietnam and Thailand through the SEA Games, we have always been at a disadvantage compared to the Thais. More importantly, Vietnam has not had a single victory against Thailand each time the two teams met at the SEA Games.
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| Head of the Thai football delegation Kosin affirmed: "Thailand will successfully defend the SEA Games 30 gold medal". Photo: Changsuek |
At the 1995 SEA Games, we met the team from the land of golden pagodas twice. If we lost 1-3 in the group stage, then in the semi-final, the score was 4-0 in favor of Thailand. At that time, Thailand with famous players Natipong and Tawan showed their superiority over the golden generation of Hong Son, Huynh Duc and Huu Thang.
4 years after the golden generation of Vietnamese football was at its peak with the names Hong Son, Huynh Duc, Viet Hoang, we had the opportunity to meet Thailand again. In the group stage, we had a 0-0 draw, only behind Thailand in the group stage due to losing the win-loss difference. This is the last SEA Games that the national teams will participate in, so everyone has high expectations.
But in the final match, Kiatisak's generation won the generation of Hong Son, Huynh Duc, Van Sy Hung 2-0 with goals from Damrong-Ongtraku, l Dusit Chalermsan accepted the runner-up position.
The 2003 SEA Games took place at Vietnam's home stadium. With the young U23 players Cong Vinh, Van Quyen, Quoc Vuong, it seemed like they would have their first chance at the SEA Games at My Dinh Stadium when Van Quyen equalized 1-1 in the 90+1 minute. But during extra time, player Nattaporn scored, bringing the 11th SEA Games gold cup to Thailand.
Two years later, the two teams met again at the most scandalous SEA Games in the history of Vietnamese football. A series of young players such as Van Quyen, Quoc Vuong, Quoc Anh, Van Truong, and Bat Hieu were involved. In the final match, with more than half of the team not concentrating, Vietnam lost 0-3 to Thailand.
After winning the AFF Cup 2009, we expected to win the gold cup at the SEA Games 2009 in Laos, but in the end we only tied with Thailand 1-1. Although present in the final match, Thanh Luong, Dinh Tung, Trong Hoang and teammates unfortunately lost to Malaysia 1-0.
6 years later, the generation of Que Ngoc Hai, Manh Hung, Phi Son clashed with Thailand in the group stage. This time, Vietnam lost 1-3 to Chanathip Songkrasin, Pakorn Prempak in the group stage, and it was not until the 90th minute that Le Thanh Binh scored an honorary goal.Rewriting history
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| Quang Hai, Van Hau and teammates will be confident of defeating Thailand. Photo: Changsuek |
The most recent SEA Games 2017 took place in Malaysia, our U22 Vietnam team was in the same group as U22 Thailand. While we won easily against the other teams in the group, Thailand won easily, leisurely waiting for Vietnam. The Thais beat Tuan Anh and Xuan Truong to pieces, scoring 3 goals against U22 Vietnam. Not being able to get past the group stage, coach Huu Thang resigned.
Despite not adding 2 players over 22 years old, U22 Thailand is still very strong. The new head of the Thai football team, Kosin, who was the goalkeeper of Thailand who won the 2005 SEA Games gold medal in the match defeating Vietnam 3-0 in the final, affirmed: Thailand will successfully defend the 30th SEA Games gold medal.
But in the past 2 years, with Coach Park, we have never lost to Thailand at any team level. Believe me, at this SEA Games we will beat Thailand.
