The first leg of the Thailand - Vietnam semi-final will take place at 7:30 p.m. on December 23. In the previous 9 meetings at the AFF Cups, Thailand dominated with 5 matches, the two teams drew 2 matches and Vietnam won 2 matches. Vietnam is the defending champion, ranked 99th in the world and No. 1 in Southeast Asia. Thailand is the richest country with 5 championships, ranked 118th in the world and 2nd in the region. Therefore, the two semi-final matches are of great significance for both teams.
"This is the best match in Southeast Asia, where the previous power has met the number 1 team in the region at the moment. Thailand - Vietnam is a 5-star match, just like a dream final, where all fans in Southeast Asia want to watch," Thairath commented.
In the group stage, Thailand was the only team to win all, scoring 10 goals and conceding 1 goal. The Vietnamese team is the only team that has not conceded any goals. Both teams have perfected and serious preparations for the semi-finals.
"Mr. Park Hang-seo's team has been the No. 1 in Southeast Asia in recent years, based on the FIFA rankings, winning the AFF Cup, winning the SEA Games gold medal as well as reaching the third qualifying round of the 2022 World Cup. Thai fans, including me, have never admitted that the Vietnamese team is superior to the Thai team, because every meeting takes place very balanced. Therefore, this time, when the squad is invested in the most strong and comprehensive way but still cannot defeat the Vietnamese team, Thailand must accept being number 2 in the region", commented writer B Bangpakong.
In the last 3 meetings between the two teams, the Vietnamese team won 1 and drew 2 (2 matches all ended with a score of 0-0). Those were all very tense, intense and tight matches. Even in the 2 0-0 draws in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, the Thai team created more opportunities, but still could not beat the Vietnamese team.
At this year's AFF Cup, the Thai team gathered the strongest force with the presence of the trio of veteran stars Teerasil Dangda, Theerathon Bunmathan and Chanathip Songkrasin, along with a series of players in their prime and other young talents.
The Thai team wants to pass the AFF Cup to restore the honor and pride of Thai football in the region. If they beat Vietnam and are crowned at the AFF Cup, the "War Elephants" will have a dream ending, dispel doubts, and regain the trust of fans.
