The Vietnam national team suffered a 1-2 defeat against Thailand in a friendly match at My Dinh Stadium, missing out on a chance to avenge their loss in the 2022 AFF Cup final. Despite taking the lead early, Vietnam was unable to hold on, with Thailand coming from behind to secure the victory.
Forward Nguyen Tien Linh opened the scoring for Vietnam in the 21st minute from the team’s first real opportunity. From a long ball delivered by Que Ngoc Hai, Tien Linh broke through Thailand’s defense, controlled the ball, and finished clinically past goalkeeper Patiwat, giving Vietnam an early 1-0 lead. This was Tien Linh’s 21st goal in 48 appearances for the national team, though he refrained from celebrating, likely in respect for those affected by Typhoon Yagi, which recently caused severe damage in northern Vietnam.
Before the match, both teams observed a minute of silence to honor the victims of the typhoon. Due to the aftermath of the storm, only a few hundred to over a thousand spectators were present at My Dinh Stadium to witness the match.
However, Vietnam’s lead was short-lived. Just five minutes later, Thailand equalized through a set-piece. Ekanit Panya swung in a cross that was headed back across goal by Patrik Gustavsson, allowing Suphanat Mueanta to slot the ball into an empty net. Both of Thailand’s goals involved the Swedish-born forward Gustavsson, who was instrumental throughout the match.
Vietnam struggled to maintain their composure, and another defensive error in the 34th minute led to Thailand’s second goal. Nguyen Phong Hong Duy’s attempted clearance fell perfectly for Gustavsson, whose initial shot was saved by goalkeeper Filip Nguyen. Unfortunately for Vietnam, the rebound fell back to Gustavsson, who calmly finished to put Thailand ahead 2-1.
Despite a strong start, Vietnam found themselves trailing at halftime, and Thailand, under coach Masatada Ishii, shifted to a more defensive approach in the second half. With notable absences such as Theerathon Bunmathan, Chanathip Songkrasin, and Supachok Sarachat, Thailand relied on a combination of experienced players and foreign-born talents like Gustavsson, Elias Dolah, Jonathan Khemdee, Nicholas Mickelson, and William Weidersjo.
Coach Kim Sang-sik, who fielded a near full-strength Vietnam side, including stars like Que Ngoc Hai, Nguyen Quang Hai, Nguyen Hoang Duc, and Do Hung Dung, pushed for an equalizer. The team’s best chance came in the 86th minute when Hoang Duc unleashed a long-range strike that deflected off a Thai defender, hitting the crossbar. Tien Linh’s follow-up header lacked the power needed to beat goalkeeper Patiwat.
Thailand also had an opportunity to extend their lead when midfielder Channarong Promsrikaew found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper but sent his shot wide of the post.
Despite having more possession (57%) and outshooting Thailand nine to five, Vietnam was unable to find the back of the net again. The match statistics showed that Vietnam also earned more corners, but Thailand’s solid defensive performance in the second half allowed them to maintain their lead.
The loss to Thailand marked Vietnam’s second consecutive defeat in September friendlies, following a 0-3 loss to Russia. Coach Kim Sang-sik will have more time to regroup before Vietnam’s next international fixtures in October, where they are scheduled to face India and Lebanon in additional friendlies. These matches will serve as crucial preparation ahead of the AFF Cup, which kicks off in December 2024.
Despite the defeat, Vietnam will look to use these friendlies as learning experiences to improve their form before the highly anticipated AFF Cup, where they will once again be one of the main contenders for the title. Coach Kim’s team will aim to address their defensive lapses and build on the positive moments from these matches as they continue to fine-tune their squad.
Leave a Reply