In the 64th minute, goalkeeper Dinh Trieu threw the ball out of bounds when he noticed a Vietnamese player was injured. After the ball was back in play, striker Supachok dribbled the ball and shot into the Vietnamese net instead of returning it. This caused a big argument between the two teams.
The referee awarded the goal to Thailand after fully explaining his decision to the players and coaches of both teams. This goal helped Thailand lead 2-1 and gain a great advantage in spirit.
But then, Thailand was reduced to 10 men when Weerathep received a red card. Taking advantage of that, Vietnam scored 2 goals, securing a 3-2 victory (5-3 overall) to win the 2024 ASEAN Cup.
“The goal that made it 2-1 for Thailand should not have happened. The Consadole Sapporo striker did not violate any rules of the game. But if it was a matter of sportsmanship, Supachok should have passed the ball back to the away team because it was clear that the Vietnamese goalkeeper threw the ball out of bounds.
On the surface, the 2-1 goal may not seem like much. But in another sense, it has fueled the anger and fighting spirit of the Vietnamese team,” Siam Sport commented on Supachok’s goal.
The Thai newspaper also emphasized that Weerathep's red card was the turning point of the match. The experienced midfielder received his second yellow card in the 74th minute, after a foul. "This was the last match of the tournament, playing with one less player than the opponent made the Thai team close the chance of winning.
The remaining players on the field were almost exhausted after playing many matches. Obviously, the red card created a big advantage for the Vietnamese team. This was a valuable lesson for Weerathep and a turning point that prevented the Thai team from successfully defending the championship title," Siam Sport commented.
In total, at the 2024 ASEAN Cup, the Thai team conceded 12 goals, including 8 in the semi-finals and finals. This is the first time the “War Elephants” have conceded so many goals in the region’s number 1 tournament. According to Siam Sport, this is a serious problem for the Thai team that coach Ishii needs to solve in the near future.
