Bangkok, 3 December 2025 – Following a hard-fought 2–1 victory in their SEA Games 33 opener, coach Kim Sang-sik praised his players’ efforts but admitted Vietnam created enough chances to win by a larger margin against a steadily improving Laos side.
Coach Kim Sang-sik expressed satisfaction with Vietnam’s 2–1 win over Laos but acknowledged that his team generated many clear opportunities and should have secured a more comfortable scoreline in their opening match at SEA Games 33. Similar to their SEA Games 32 debut in Cambodia, Vietnam endured a challenging start. Nguyen Dinh Bac opened the scoring in the 28th minute, only for Laos to equalise five minutes later. It was not until Dinh Bac delivered another moment of brilliance in the 60th minute that Vietnam fully regained control and secured all three points.
Beyond the two goals, Vietnam created numerous dangerous chances, especially late in the second half when the players appeared more relaxed and pressed forward with greater confidence. Dinh Bac himself missed several opportunities, including a shot that struck the right post in the 75th minute and another effort that rolled just wide in the 84th minute. “Vietnam were a bit unlucky to score only two goals,” coach Kim said during the post-match press conference at Rajamangala Stadium.
On the defensive lapse that led to the equaliser, Vietnam were caught flat-footed after a clearance from Nguyen Nhat Minh ricocheted off the crossbar, allowing Douangvilay Khampane to finish into an open net. Coach Kim admitted disappointment with the moment, noting that the goal affected the players’ mentality and caused a brief loss of concentration. “I reminded the team to stay focused going into the second half,” he added.
Under Kim Sang-sik’s tenure, Vietnam had faced Laos four times and won all four, yet the Korean coach highlighted the clear progress Laos have made, making this match far more challenging. “Laos are improving. Because we play each other often, they understand more about our tactics, and that created difficulties for us today. We also weren’t at our best, especially in the first half,” he explained.
A notable moment came in the 62nd minute when coach Kim received a yellow card for leaving his technical area to protest an offside call that initially denied Dinh Bac a goal. Only after a video review did referee Rustam Lutfullin overturn the decision and award the goal. Coach Kim said that although he had not seen the video at the time, his direct view of the play convinced him it was not offside. “Thankfully, the referee reviewed the situation and recognised the goal,” he said.
With this victory, Vietnam moved to the top of Group B, while Laos sit bottom. Laos will face Malaysia on December 6 and risk elimination if they lose. Vietnam will meet Malaysia in their final group match on December 11. Looking ahead, coach Kim stressed the importance of recovery. “We were a bit nervous because it was the first match of the SEA Games, but things ended well and we earned an important three points. Now the team must rest and prepare carefully for the next match against Malaysia,” he concluded.
Leave a Reply