The Vietnamese team has a great advantage when playing at My Dinh home stadium in the second leg of the ASEAN Cup 2026 final. Coach Kim Sang-sik's team is also holding a 2-0 advantage after the victory over Thailand in the first leg at Rajamangala Stadium.
The victory in Thailand helped the Vietnamese team have a favorable mentality before the decisive match. However, the 2-goal gap was not enough to guarantee the championship when the opponent still had 90 minutes to find opportunities to reverse the situation.
Meanwhile, Thailand is forced to actively attack to find a goal. The Golden Temple team needs to score at least 2 goals to bring the match back to balance and must win by a 3-goal difference if they want to win the championship after 90 minutes.
This may cause the Thai defense to reveal gaps. The Vietnamese team needs to maintain solid defense, and at the same time take good advantage of transition situations when the opponent pushes high.
The midfield will play an important role in helping the Vietnamese team control the game. Hoang Duc, Quang Hai and their teammates need to limit ball losses in the midfield area, while maintaining the ability to quickly move the ball upwards.
If Thailand pushes up the squad from the beginning, the Vietnamese team can exploit the space behind the opponent's defense. Dinh Bac's speed, Hoang Hen's movement and finishing ability of Xuan Son are noteworthy options.
Xuan Son continues to be a highly anticipated name. This striker once scored a double against Thailand in the ASEAN Cup 2024 final and made many contributions to the journey of the Vietnamese team. However, the home team cannot depend on an individual when Thailand will definitely find a way to block this striker.
Pressure from spectators at My Dinh could become a big advantage for the Vietnamese team. If they stand firm in the early stages of the match, the home team may put more pressure on Thailand when they have to score goals in a context of increasingly shrinking time.
The Vietnamese team does not necessarily have to attack at all costs. A solid formation, good control of the midfield area and effective use of opportunities will be the priority of coach Kim Sang-sik's team.
With a 2-0 advantage in the first leg at My Dinh home stadium, the Vietnamese team is rated slightly higher in terms of ability to protect achievements. However, coach Kim Sang-sik's team still needs to maintain maximum concentration to aim for the ASEAN Cup 2026 championship.
The second leg final of ASEAN Cup 2026 between Vietnam and Thailand takes place at 8:00 PM on August 26th at My Dinh Stadium.
Expected lineup
Vietnam National Team: Le Giang Patrik; Xuan Manh, Thanh Chung, Van Hau, Van Vi; Hoang Duc, Quang Hai; Tien Anh, Dinh Bac, Hoang Hen; Xuan Son.
Thailand national team: Kampon Phatomakkakul; Waris Choolthong, Manuel Bihr, Nattapong Sayriya, Seksan Ratree; Sarach Yooyen, Kakana Khamyok; Yotsakon Burapha, Teerasak Poeiphimai, Chaiyaphon Otton; Oussama ThiangKham.
