Coach Ha Hyeok-jun of the Laos national team has affirmed that he and his players have thoroughly prepared for their opening match in the 2024 AFF Cup against Vietnam.
Vietnam will face Laos in their opening game of the AFF Cup 2024 at 20:00 on December 9 at the National Stadium of Laos. The Vietnamese team has won against Laos throughout the history of the AFF Cup, but Coach Ha Hyeok-jun believes that, based on their current form, his players are ready to take on Vietnam.
“The Laos national team didn’t have much preparation time. But with the current timeframe, we have tried our best to be well-prepared,” said Coach Ha Hyeok-jun.
In preparation for the 2024 AFF Cup, Laos lost 1-3 to Malaysia but followed up with a surprising 1-1 draw against Thailand. According to Coach Ha, this result has given Laos additional confidence heading into the tournament.
“The team has gained more confidence, but we are not arrogant. I teach my players to be confident but to keep their feet on the ground and move forward. The Laos national team is ready,” Coach Ha Hyeok-jun shared.
Coach Ha Hyeok-jun, who has played and coached in the K-League, has previously competed against Coach Kim Sang-sik of Vietnam. He emphasized that he and Coach Kim are friends and always maintain mutual respect.
“I have great respect for Coach Kim Sang-sik. He is a detail-oriented coach, like a tiger of Korean football,” said Coach Ha.
The coach of Laos also discussed the challenges of having several players who play abroad, while the team struggled with limited time to blend their lineup. “We can only focus on what we have,” Coach Ha remarked.
In their last four encounters in the AFF Cup, Vietnam has won every match against Laos, scoring 11 goals and conceding none. Coach Ha acknowledged that Vietnam is “one of the strongest teams in the region,” but emphasized that Laos will prepare as best as they can and give everything they have in the upcoming match.
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