At the press conference before the first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 final between Vietnam and Thailand on the afternoon of August 21, coach Kim Sang-sik highly appreciated the preparation of his players. The Korean coach believes that the Vietnamese team can create a good performance at Rajamangala Stadium.
The players are preparing well, so I believe that tomorrow they will have a good match at Rajamangala stadium. Although difficult, we once lifted the championship cup here and that is also the basis for us to be more confident," coach Kim Sang-sik shared.
The Vietnamese team entered the final after defeating Malaysia with a total score of 4-0 in the semi-finals. In the second leg at My Dinh Stadium, Nguyen Xuan Son scored a double to help his team win 2-0.
After the match, coach Kim Sang-sik admitted that rotating the squad in the first leg was to ensure the fitness of the players, and also said that the Vietnamese team had significantly improved the limitations after the first match.
Participating in the final also gives coach Kim Sang-sik the opportunity to compete for the ASEAN Cup championship for the second consecutive time with the Vietnamese national team. Two years ago, he and his students defeated Thailand to be crowned champions right on the away field.
The Korean coach emphasized the aspirations of the players before the opportunity to continue to make their mark in the regional tournament.
I am very happy that we have reached the finals. This is another opportunity for the Vietnamese team to write new history, we certainly do not want to miss it. The players certainly have a stronger desire to win the championship than me, so I believe the players will have a good match in Thailand tomorrow. We will fight with the pride of the Vietnamese team and the desire to win the championship," coach Kim Sang-sik said.
The first leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 final between Thailand and Vietnam takes place at Rajamangala Stadium. After this match, the two teams will enter the second leg to determine the champion.
The Vietnamese team is aiming to defeat Thailand for the second consecutive time in the ASEAN Cup final, while coach Kim Sang-sik is facing the opportunity to continue to maintain impressive achievements with Vietnamese football.
