The Vietnamese team will meet Thailand in the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 final at Rajamangala Stadium at 8:00 PM on August 22, before the two teams rematch at My Dinh Stadium on August 26.
The goal of coach Kim Sang-sik and his students is to gain an advantage right on the away field, thereby creating a premise towards defending the ASEAN Cup championship.
If the goal is achieved, Mr. Kim will make his mark in the history of Vietnamese football with the achievement of defeating Thailand twice in the ASEAN Cup final.
Previously, at ASEAN Cup 2024, the Vietnamese team under the guidance of Mr. Kim Sang-sik defeated Thailand 2-1 in the first leg at Viet Tri Stadium and continued to win 3-2 at Rajamangala in the second leg.
This is an achievement that coach Park Hang-seo has never achieved during his time leading the Vietnamese national team.
Mr. Park Hang-seo once helped the Vietnamese team win the 2018 AFF Cup after defeating Malaysia with a total score of 3-2 after two final matches. However, in the next two AFF Cups, the Vietnamese team could not overcome Thailand.
At AFF Cup 2020, Vietnam lost to Thailand 0-2 after two legs in the semi-finals. Two years later, the two teams met in the final of AFF Cup 2022. Vietnam drew 2-2 at My Dinh Stadium in the first leg before losing 0-1 at Thammasat in the second leg.
Meanwhile, coach Kim Sang-sik is having positive results against Thailand. After the ASEAN Cup 2024 championship, the Korean coach continues to lead the Vietnamese team to the ASEAN Cup 2026 final.
Notably, the 2-0 victory over Malaysia in the second leg of the semi-finals helped the Vietnamese team maintain an unbeaten streak from October 2024. Mr. Kim's team also showed more diversity in the use of personnel and tactics.
The notable difference of the current Vietnamese team is the appearance of naturalized players, in which Nguyen Xuan Son continues to play an important role in the attack. This is a resource that the Vietnamese team under Mr. Park Hang-seo did not have.
However, personnel advantage is not the only factor helping coach Kim Sang-sik make his mark. The ability to rotate and change the squad arrangement makes the Vietnamese team more unpredictable against opponents at the ASEAN Cup 2026.
In front of Mr. Kim are two important matches against Thailand. If he continues to win and successfully defend the championship, the Korean coach will not only help the Vietnamese team maintain its number one position in the region but also create a special milestone in the history of coaches leading the team.
