On the evening of December 9, the Vietnamese team defeated the Lao team with a score of 4-1 in the opening match of the ASEAN Cup (formerly known as the AFF Cup) 2024. Hai Long, Tien Linh, Van Toan and Van Vi were the players who scored for the Vietnamese team.
This victory helps coach Kim Sang-sik and his team temporarily lead Group B with 3 points and a goal difference of +3.
In fact, the Vietnamese team had a lot of trouble against the home team Laos. It was not until the middle of the second half, after a series of personnel and tactical changes, that the Vietnamese team was able to penetrate the opponent's net.
Sharing after the match, coach Kim Sang-sik said that the Vietnamese team had difficulty because of the field.
He said: "The first match is important to win, I am satisfied with the players. Thank you to the fans who came to the stadium in large numbers today. We tried to do our best. The team had difficulties with the pitch conditions. In the second half, there were some adjustments that helped the match end with a victory.
Thanks to the fans, the Vietnamese team won against Laos today. The first half was not easy, we had difficulties trying to score from different positions. But the players were patient, waiting for their opportunities. In the second half, they did exactly what they had practiced to achieve the desired results."
"I confirm that the players played well. They did exactly as they practiced. There were opportunities but the team could not take advantage. In addition, players like Van Khang and Van Vi are still very young, they need more time. Besides, the field conditions of Laos and Vietnam are a bit different. We have to adjust accordingly. But I am satisfied with this match," coach Kim Sang-sik added.
When asked about the championship candidates of the tournament such as Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mr. Kim commented: "Indonesia, Thailand do not have the strongest squad. We still try our best to reach the final. I can confidently say that the players are 100% ready both physically and mentally. We will have the best results in the matches".
For his part, coach Ha Hyeok-jun said the Lao team learned a lot from this defeat.
"I predict Vietnam is the strongest team in Southeast Asia both individually and tactically. We did our best tactically, tried our best in this match, and learned a lot from this match.
What impressed me most was the physical condition of the Vietnamese team players, which is very good. Physical condition is a part that I think can help them approach Korea and Japan. With this squad, if they continue to improve, they can become a strong team in Asia, like Japan and Korea," said the Korean coach.
