1 win, 3 draws and 1 loss against Thailand during 5 years of coaching the Vietnam national team
Return match in 13 months against Thailand in the 2020 semi-finals
The focus is on whether head coach Park Hang-seo, who ends his five-year partnership with the Vietnam national football team after the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) championship final, will close the ‘complex of Thailand”.
▲ The Vietnam national football team led by coach Park Hang-seo advanced to the Southeast Asian Football Federation (AFF) Mitsubishi Cup championship final, leaving only one shot at the end of the “Park Hang-seo Magic” . The photo shows Coach Park giving a thumbs up after winning the round of 16 of the Asian Cup in January 2019. Coach Park, who has written Vietnamese football history for the past five years, will end his accompaniment with the Vietnam with this tournament.
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Vietnam, led by head coach Park Hang-seo, will play the first leg of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) 2022 Mitsubishi Electric Cup Final (Mitsubishi Cup) at 21:30 (Korean time) on the 13th at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi , Vietnam. The second match will be held at the same time on the 16th.
Vietnamese and Thai football are “angsuk”. The two countries, which claimed to be the leaders of the AFF, have always met at a critical juncture. Although Australia joined the AFF in 2013, the rivalry between Vietnam and Thailand hasn’t changed since then. Out of 56 opponents since their first friendly in 1956, Vietnam are slightly ahead with 23 wins, 11 draws and 19 losses. However, since 1975 when Thai football was on its way, Thailand has been superior with 16 wins, 8 draws and 3 losses.
▲ Director Park Hang-seo
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Also, Thailand dominated Vietnam in the AFF championship. In this tournament, which started in 1996 and is the 14th this year, Thailand has reached the final nine times and among them, won the championship six times, including the championship in 2020. Vietnam, however, has finished three times in the final and twice tasted the championship. Looking at the results of more than 10 times in the semifinals, he has always been a “potential” champion, but four times (1996, 2002, 07, 2020) on the way to the finals, including the first tournament, he was caught by Thailand.
Among them, the semi-finals of the 2020 tournament played in December 2021 due to Corona 19 remain a ‘trauma’ for coach Park. At that time, Vietnam lost 0-2 in the first leg and drew 0-0 in the second leg and was eliminated 0-2 on aggregate. Thailand, who trampled Vietnam, won the final by beating coach Shin Tae-yong’s Indonesia.
Coach Park quickly emerged as a hero of Vietnamese football by winning the AFF championship in 2018, the year after taking office, but has failed to break his “Thai compound” with Vietnam. In head-to-head matches since he took office, the record against Thailand is W1, D3 and L1. They won the King’s Cup 1-0 in June 2019 but have not won for more than three years since. In addition, during this period, including two draws in Qatar’s World Cup qualifiers, only 3 draws and 1 loss, Vietnam revealed an “empty void” that could not score a single goal.
That’s why Manager Park’s determination to face a ‘return game’ after 13 months is all the more special. As coach Park, who leaves Vietnam after this tournament, if he defeats Thailand and lifts his second championship cup in the AFF tournament, is no different than a “medal” given to himself.
Reporter Choi Byeong-gyu
