Vietnam team and the great challenge from Thailand team

Thailand – the defending champion defeated the Philippines with a total score of 4-3 in the semi-finals. This is the 11th time Thailand has reached the final of the region's number 1 tournament. They have won 7 times, aiming for the 3rd consecutive championship – an achievement that no other team in the region has achieved.

The “War Elephants” are currently ranked 97th in the world, number 1 in Southeast Asia, 17 places above the Vietnamese team. They will also play the second leg of the final at their home stadium Rajamangala, giving them a huge advantage. Statistics show that the Thai team also has a superior head-to-head record compared to the Vietnamese team.

According to 11v11, Thailand and Vietnam have met 29 times since 1995. As a result, Vietnam has only won 3 times, drawn 8 times and lost 18 times. In the last 7 matches, Vietnam has not won against its opponent.

The last time Vietnam enjoyed the joy of facing Thailand was in 2019. At that time, the team won 1-0 away from home, in the King's Cup, with the only goal from Anh Duc.

Since then, Quang Hai and his teammates have only had 4 draws and 3 losses against their opponents. In the final of the ASEAN Cup 2022, the Vietnamese team also met Thailand in the final. The team drew 2-2 at My Dinh Stadium, but then lost 0-1 away.

The most recent meeting between the two teams took place on September 10, 2024 at My Dinh Stadium. At that time, Mr. Kim Sang-sik's team took the lead with a goal from Tien Linh. But then, Thailand successfully reversed the situation, winning 2-1 with goals from Suphanat and Gustavsson.

Compared to a few months ago, the current Vietnam team plays much more stably, thanks to the presence of all the best players. In addition, the team's strength has been significantly increased with the presence of striker Nguyen Xuan Son - who is leading the scoring list of the ASEAN Cup 2024 with 5 goals.

Historically, the Vietnamese team has beaten Thailand with a total score of 3-2 in the final. At that time, Mr. Calisto's team won 2-1 in the first leg of the final, before drawing 1-1 in the second leg, with Le Cong Vinh scoring a header.