According to Beritasatu (Indonesia), the Thai team had a dramatic journey to reach the final, after overcoming the Philippines in the second leg of the semi-final with a 3-1 victory after 120 minutes of intense competition. With a total score of 4-3 after 2 matches, the team nicknamed "War Elephants" affirmed its class as the defending champion.
Thai stars Peeradon Chamratsamee and Patrik Gustavsson performed brilliantly, before Suphanat Mueanta scored the decisive goal in the 116th minute.
Meanwhile, the performance of the Vietnamese team in this tournament was also highly appreciated.
According to Bernama (Malaysia), Vietnam's playing style under the guidance of coach Kim Sang-sik is very organized, with the ability to fully utilize set pieces and counter-attacks. This is expected to be a big challenge for Thailand in the final match.
Both the New Straits Times and The Star of Malaysia did not forget to mention the AFF Cup 2022 final, where Thailand defeated Vietnam with a total score of 3-2. Although Vietnam is in impressive form, Thailand is still considered a formidable opponent, especially when they have proven their mettle in tense matches.
BolaSport commented: "This rematch is not only a battle between the two strongest teams in the region, but also a competition between two different football styles. The disciplined and tight Vietnam team will face off against the flexibility and creativity of Thailand."
According to statistics from Beritasatu, Thailand and Vietnam are both "giants" of Southeast Asian football, with a long history in the Southeast Asian championship. Thailand has won 7 championships, while Vietnam owns 2 titles and is eager to assert its position against its rival Thailand.
Most newspapers agree that, although Thailand is the defending champion, Vietnam has home field advantage in the first leg and has been in superior form since the beginning of the tournament.
The first leg will take place at Viet Tri Stadium on January 2, 2025, while the second leg will be held at Rajamangala (Thailand) on January 5, 2025.
