After a convincing 2-0 victory over Thailand in the first leg final at Rajamangala Stadium on August 22, the Vietnamese team is holding a great advantage before the second leg at My Dinh Stadium on the evening of August 26. Coach Kim Sang-sik and his team are expected by fans to win another favorable result to touch the championship.
In Ho Chi Minh City, from the afternoon of the same day, a large number of fans flocked to the city center area. National flags, red flags with yellow stars, banners and familiar red shirts created a colorful space, all towards the anticipated match at My Dinh Stadium.
At about 6 pm, the atmosphere at Nguyen Hue pedestrian street began to heat up before the ball rolled. Groups of fans gathered to take photos, sing familiar songs, prepare flags and banners to be ready to immerse themselves in the cheering atmosphere. The later it got, the more people flocked, covering many areas on the pedestrian street.
At about 6:15 pm, a heavy rain suddenly poured down on the central area of Ho Chi Minh City. However, the rain did not reduce the heat of the football festival. Many people still braved the rain, put on raincoats, and umbrellas, continuing to stay on Nguyen Hue pedestrian street to cheer for the Vietnamese team. In the middle of the rain, the red color of the national flag and the cheering shirts were still prominent, creating an impressive image before the match kicked off.
Previously, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee installed 5 large LED screens along Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, the section from Le Loi intersection to Ton Duc Thang intersection, to serve people and tourists to watch the final match for free. Although the Vietnamese team is playing more than 1,700km from Ho Chi Minh City, the heat of the match still spread strongly in the city. Many families brought young children early, joining the football festival.
The sound of drums, cheers and enthusiastic cheers made the city center area like a miniature "hotpot". The 2-0 lead after the first leg further strengthened the fans' belief. In particular, memories of the ASEAN Cup 2024 championship journey are still intact, when coach Kim Sang-sik's team once overcame Thailand with a total score of 5-3 in the two final matches.
On the evening of August 26, from My Dinh Stadium to Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, millions of fans' hearts beat in unison. Despite the sudden heavy rain falling early, thousands of fans in Ho Chi Minh City still did not leave, carrying rain to wait for the moment when the Vietnamese team once again raised the championship trophy, closing the ASEAN Cup 2026 journey with a memorable night.
