The unfinished story of the two "golden generations"
Since Vietnamese football returned to integrate with the region and the world in the early 90s of the last century, fans have shown great affection for the players of Huynh Duc, Hong Son, Huu Thang, Cong Minh... They are affectionately called the "golden generation" despite their achievements on the field, these players have never won the SEA Games or AFF Cup Gold Medals.
This generation of players has helped Vietnamese football strongly integrate with the world. They have delighted fans with their big wins against teams in the region such as the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia... or created fateful confrontations with Thailand.
However, the first "golden generation" of the Vietnamese team could not help the home team get a positive result when meeting the Chinese team. The first meeting between the two teams took place on May 25, 1997 at Thong Nhat Stadium (HCMC). At that time, the Chinese team won 3-1.
The only goal scorer for the Vietnamese team was striker Le Huynh Duc. On June 22, 1997, the Chinese team beat Vietnam 4-0 in Beijing. In the 2000 Asian Cup qualifiers, the Vietnamese team also lost 0-2 to the Chinese team at Thong Nhat Stadium, although the team had previously scored 14 goals against Guam and the Philippines.
The second golden generation of the Vietnamese team is associated with names such as Le Cong Vinh, Huynh Quang Thanh, Vu Phong, Viet Thang, Minh Phuong... Together, they helped the Vietnamese team reach the quarter-finals of the 2007 Asian Cup and win the 2008 AFF Cup. Although the performance has improved compared to the previous generation, the Vietnamese team is still "inferior" at this stage when meeting the Chinese team.
In the 2011 Asian Cup qualifiers, the two teams were in Group D. In the first leg, China beat Vietnam 6-1 on January 21, 2009. Midfielder Nguyen Vu Phong was the only player to score for the Vietnam team. This is the biggest win for the Chinese team in their meetings with the Vietnamese team. In the second leg at My Dinh Stadium on January 17, 2010, the Vietnamese team lost 1-2 to their opponents. Le Cong Vinh scored from the penalty spot for his team.
Belief in the generation of Quang Hai and Cong Phuong
On October 8, the Vietnam team will meet the China team in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers. In the role of Mr. Park Hang-seo and his team, there is a historical mission to change the results of the confrontation. In the previous 6 meetings, the Vietnamese team lost all to China, conceding 20 goals, scoring only 3 goals. Both previous generations of gold are completely inferior to their opponents.
Mr. Park's trust is placed in the generation of players that AFC affectionately calls the "golden generation" of Vietnamese football. "For the first time participating in the final qualifying round of a World Cup, the Vietnamese team had a dream start against Saudi Arabia, when star Nguyen Quang Hai took the home team to the lead after only 3 minutes. However, Do Duy Manh's chuck helped Saudi Arabia come back to win.
Returning to Hanoi, coach Park Hang-seo's students played disciplined against the Australian but lacked a bit of creativity to earn at least 1 point. Now, the Vietnamese team must get back on track in the two matches against China and Oman, where their generation of talented players are strong enough to make a difference," the AFC commented.
The current generation of players of the Vietnam national team has reaped many glories, accumulated a lot of competition experience, and a strong competitive spirit. In his 7th meeting with the Chinese team, Quang Hai and his teammates were full of confidence to change history, winning against the Chinese team, something that 2 generations of seniors could not do.
