The Laos team entered the match against Vietnam with reservations, especially after a 0-5 defeat to Malaysia in the fourth match, making them considered one of the worst teams in Group F.
Playing at home in this round, Laos' most realistic goal is to minimize the number of goals conceded and wait for a chance to create a surprise, although the possibility of winning points against the Vietnamese team is very low.
The head-to-head statistics are not on the side of the team from the land of a million elephants as they have never held Vietnam to a draw, let alone never overcome their opponents. This further puts pressure on the Laos team.
In the opposite direction, the Vietnamese team traveled to Vientiane with an excited mentality. Malaysia's inconsistent performance and penalties for 7 naturalized players have more or less brought a positive signal, but coach Kim Sang-sik still emphasized that the team must decide its own future with victories.
The Korean coach also received a notable increase in the force when striker Nguyen Xuan Son returned, along with the participation of rookies such as Viet Cuong and Gia Bao, helping the squad to be more diverse in personnel arrangements.
Despite having to play away, Vietnam is still considered superior. The 5-0 victory in the first leg clearly reflects the gap between the two teams, but Tien Linh and his teammates still need to improve their finishing ability and make better use of the opportunities created.
The match between Vietnam and Laos in the second leg of the 2027 Asian Cup will take place at 19:00 on November 19.
