The Vietnamese team closed ASEAN Cup 2026 with a 2-2 draw against Thailand in the second leg, thereby winning 4-2 overall and successfully defending the championship.
This achievement received attention from the Korean media, especially praise for coach Kim Sang-sik.
Newspim newspaper used the phrase "Kim Sang-sik's magic" to describe the journey of the Vietnamese team. According to this newspaper, the Korean coach created a milestone that his predecessor Park Hang-seo had never achieved. That is to help Vietnam successfully defend the ASEAN Cup championship.
The author of the article commented that Mr. Kim continues to promote the foundation left by Park Hang-seo, and at the same time brings Vietnamese football to a new step of development. Before the ASEAN Cup 2026, coach Kim Sang-sik and the Vietnamese national teams won important titles at the regional level.
From the same perspective, another newspaper also said that the success of the Vietnamese team once again shows "Kim Sang-sik's magic". The newspaper emphasized that this is the first time in ASEAN Cup history that a team has successfully defended the championship.
Meanwhile, some other major newspapers such as Yonhap, Sports Seoul and Chosun paid attention to the historic milestone of the Vietnamese team when the Vietnamese team won the ASEAN Cup for the first time two consecutive times.
Notably, another reputable newspaper also emphasized Vietnam's completion of the championship in the context of Thailand's strong resurgence in the second leg. According to the newspaper, Thailand's two own goals contributed to helping Vietnam maintain its advantage, but the final result still put coach Kim Sang-sik's team in the history of the tournament.
