Vietnam head coach Sang-sik Kim expressed regret over the heavy defeat at Mỹ Đình Stadium in the friendly match against Russia on the evening of September 5. “Today, the match was held at home. I want to apologize to the fans for not being able to win. My players gave their best effort but couldn’t get the desired result. Once again, I apologize to the fans,” said coach Kim after the 0-3 loss.
This was the team’s first match after a three-month break, following the last two matches of the World Cup 2026 second qualifying round, where they won against the Philippines 3-2 and lost to Iraq 1-3 in early June. The three-team tournament, organized by the Vietnam Football Federation (VFF), provided a crucial opportunity for match practice ahead of the AFF Cup, which will be held later this year. In terms of FIFA rankings, Vietnam was the lowest-ranked team, facing a significant gap with their opponents.
The difference in skill level, with an 81-position gap between Vietnam and Russia in the FIFA rankings, quickly became evident on the pitch. Russia controlled much of the first half, forcing the home side into defensive action. There were moments of resilience from Vietnam, notably when Nguyen Thanh Chung cleared the ball off the line twice, but the home side’s defense eventually broke in the 24th minute. Goalkeeper Van Lam initially made a fine save from a header, but was slow to react to the subsequent cross, allowing Daler Kuzyayev to score with a close-range header.
In the second half, Vietnam capitalized on Russia’s fatigue from the hot and humid conditions, improving their gameplay significantly. The team nearly equalized in the 52nd minute with their best chance of the match. Hung Dung delivered an excellent ball to Pham Tuan Tai , whose volley narrowly missed the far post. However, any momentum gained by Vietnam was undone by a crucial error from Van Lam . The goalkeeper misjudged a backpass, allowing the ball to roll into his own net, gifting Russia a second goal. The visitors extended their lead further in the 77th minute when Musayev calmly slotted home from a cross to make it 3-0.
Despite the defeat, coach Kim was satisfied with the performances of younger players such as Hai Long and Vi Hao, who he said showed leadership qualities and potential. “They played well, creating space, and Vi Hao showed good leadership on the field. We made several changes in defense, and there were moments where we performed well. Though we didn’t score, we had good stretches,” the Korean coach stated. The match held special significance for Van Lam, whose father is Vietnamese and mother is Russian. While the goalkeeper’s mistakes contributed to the first two goals, coach Kim acknowledged the pressure he was under and expressed his confidence in the keeper’s ability to bounce back.
In the next round of the tournament, Russia will face Thailand on September 7, and Vietnam will meet Thailand on September 10 in a highly anticipated Southeast Asian clash.
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