Thailand drew 2-2 with Vietnam in the second leg final at My Dinh Stadium on the evening of August 26, thereby losing with a total score of 2-4 after two legs. This is the second consecutive time the "War Elephants" have finished second at the ASEAN Cup.
Coach Anthony Hudson's team twice took the lead thanks to goals from Yotsakorn Burapha and Wanchai Jarunongkran. However, Thailand also twice let the Vietnamese team equalize after situations where the ball touched the visiting team's player and went into the net.
After the match, coach Hudson congratulated the Vietnamese team but did not hide his regret for the team's performance.
I congratulate the Vietnamese team because they played well. However, I believe Thailand deserved a better result when creating many opportunities. Thailand played better in the final and controlled the match well," coach Hudson shared.
According to the English strategist, the missed penalty at the beginning of the second half was a turning point that changed the course of the match. Kakana Khamyok had a chance to increase the score to 2-0 but sent the ball over the bar.
The penalty error changed everything, then the diễn biến went beyond control," coach Hudson said.
Despite being disappointed with not being able to win the championship, coach Hudson still appreciated the performance of the Thai players, especially the young faces. He said that the tournament is an important experience to help this generation of players grow up.
The ASEAN Cup is a difficult tournament. I have gone through 6 very stressful weeks. I regret that Thailand played well in both legs, regained control and had a very good first half. Before the tournament, many people said Thailand could not do it, but clearly we did it," Mr. Hudson shared.
Coach Hudson also said that the young Thai players have shown their personality and ability when facing a strong opponent in a decisive match.
He also thanked Thai clubs for creating conditions for the best players to join the national team, thereby helping him have a team to compete at the ASEAN Cup 2026.
Despite regret, coach Hudson admitted that the Vietnamese team had better preparation and knew how to take advantage of decisive moments.
Vietnam deserves to be champion. They are very strong, have good coaches and a good federation. Vietnam controls important moments and deserves to win," coach Hudson concluded.
The ASEAN Cup 2026 championship helped the Vietnamese team win the regional tournament for the fourth time, and for the first time successfully defend the throne after a 4-2 overall victory over Thailand.
