The advantage of the Vietnamese team
The Vietnamese team has overcome the biggest obstacle in Group A - ASEAN Cup 2026 named Indonesia. The convincing 3-0 victory right at the opponent's home ground not only helped the "Golden Star Warriors" return to the top of the group, but also regained the trust from domestic fans.
Currently, the Vietnamese team has 7 points and a goal difference of +10 after 3 matches and has a very high chance of going further. A result from a draw to a win against Cambodia will help Quang Hai and his teammates reach the semi-finals. Of course, determining the first or second place in the group of the Vietnamese team still needs to wait for the match taking place at the same time between the Singapore and Indonesia teams. Winning a ticket to the semi-finals is the most important goal. Therefore, what coach Kim Sang-sik is calculating is how to use the force to get a favorable result against Cambodia.
In the final match, the Vietnamese national team will play at My Dinh. Previously, the defending champion only had a 0-0 draw against Singapore in his first return to the national stadium after 2 years. Conversely, in the past, Mr. Kim Sang-sik also did not achieve good results at this stadium. In October 2024, he experienced 2 consecutive defeats against Thailand and Russia in the international friendly tournament. On his debut for the Vietnamese national team, the Korean strategist also painstakingly defeated the Philippines with a score of 3-2.
It is no coincidence that immediately after the victory over Indonesia, coach Kim Sang-sik immediately dissected the technical tape of the Cambodian team. He and his colleagues did this in the airport waiting hall, and spent up to 4 hours on the plane to analyze the opponent.
The positive result against Cambodia will help this strategist dispel the bad results in the past at My Dinh Stadium. It also promises to be a lever for the Vietnamese team to be more confident when hosting opponents in the semi-finals.
Waiting for the second lineup
Another factor that fans are waiting for is what lineup coach Kim Sang-sik will use. Faced with the advantage of the possibility of reaching the semi-finals and facing a team that has run out of opportunities to advance, the Vietnamese team can use a second lineup to save strength for key players.
Van Lam, Quang Kiet, Nhat Minh, Gia Bao, Van Do, Tuan Tai, Ngoc My, Viet Cuong, Gia Hung... have not played or played little in the past 3 matches. Of course, they want to assert themselves in a match where the Vietnamese team has many advantages. Remember, these faces have played together in the same framework when the home team trained in Korea, showing no less effectiveness than the main group with goals against Yongin FC or Siheung FC. This is the foundation for coach Kim Sang-sik to consider a squad rotation plan to ensure that key players such as: Xuan Son, Hoang Hen, Van Hau, Quang Hai, Dinh Bac, Hoang Duc... maximize physical recovery towards the next round.
Head-to-head history further strengthens the belief for the Vietnamese team. In the last 5 encounters with Cambodia, the "Golden Star Warriors" have won all, scored 16 goals and conceded only 2 goals, showing clear superiority. From another perspective, Cambodia also no longer has the strongest force in hand when the three "points" Mat Noron, Sieng Chanthea and Abdel Kader Coulibaly have all left the team for various reasons.
Considering it comprehensively, the Vietnamese team has many advantages to defeat Cambodia, even if coach Kim Sang-sik uses a B squad. However, coach Kim Sang-sik is still cautious: "Vietnam is ranked many places above Cambodia but always respects the opponent. I can change some positions, but the team will play with the strongest force.
The match between Vietnam and Cambodia at ASEAN Cup 2026 takes place at 8:00 PM on August 7.
