Thai Nguyen, 18 July 2026 – Following Vietnam’s impressive 4-0 victory over Myanmar, head coach Kim Sang-sik thanked the fans in Thai Nguyen for creating a vibrant atmosphere in the stands while also providing an update on striker Nguyen Xuan Son, who experienced some discomfort after the match.
“I would like to thank the Thai Nguyen supporters who came to the stadium in large numbers and passionately cheered for the Vietnam national team,” Kim said. “Their support is a huge source of motivation for the players to perform and give their best on the pitch.”
Reflecting on his team’s performance, the South Korean coach expressed satisfaction with his personnel experiments, particularly the contributions of Vietnam’s naturalized and overseas Vietnamese players.
“Today, we used three naturalized players and one overseas Vietnamese player. They all performed well and contributed to the quality of the match,” Kim explained. “The strength of the Vietnam national team has improved significantly with these additions. The coaching staff and I will continue working on ways to maximize their abilities while developing more tactical and physical options ahead of the ASEAN Cup 2026.”
Kim also provided an update on Xuan Son after the striker appeared to experience a physical problem late in the game.
“Xuan Son felt some pain after the match. We will conduct a thorough examination to determine whether he has suffered an injury,” Kim said. “The fact that both Xuan Son and Dinh Bac are showing such a strong desire to contribute is a very positive sign. It gives us more options in attack.”
The 49-year-old coach also explained his decision to deploy Nguyen Dinh Bac as a wing-back, revealing that the tactical experiment had already been tested during Vietnam’s recent training camp in South Korea.
“I started experimenting with Dinh Bac at wing-back during our training camp in South Korea,” he said. “I believe that whether he starts or comes off the bench, Dinh Bac can make the most of his qualities and contribute positively to the team’s style of play.”
Kim also praised the playing conditions at Thai Nguyen Stadium, highlighting the quality of the pitch and its contribution to Vietnam’s performance.
“The pitch at Thai Nguyen Stadium is of very good quality, allowing the players to execute our style of play effectively,” Kim added. “I hope the fans will continue to stand behind and support the Vietnam national team as we begin our journey to compete for the ASEAN Cup 2026 title.”
VSN/RPT
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