A-match unbeaten streak of 23 games! Even so, Coach Kim Sang-sik says, "Not satisfied; must correct mistakes," aiming for a flawless 'Hyundai Cup' championship

*This content was translated by AI.

The Vietnam national football team, led by Coach Kim Sang-sik (50), is on course to win back-to-back titles in the 'Southeast Asian World Cup,' known as the Hyundai Cup. After securing a valuable away victory, Coach Kim expressed dissatisfaction with the team's performance.

On the 16th (Korea time), Vietnam defeated Malaysia 2-0 in an away match for the first leg of the semi-finals at the Kuala Lumpur Stadium in Malaysia during the '2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup.'

The team's focus in the second half shone brightly. In the 5th minute of the second half, Nguyen Xuan Son finished with a diving header from a cross on the wing to score the opening goal. Then, in the 41st minute of the second half, they induced an own goal from Malaysian defender Paris Danisy, sealing a decisive victory.

Having advanced from Group A of the group stage as the top team (3 wins, 1 draw), Vietnam extended its unbeaten run in A-matches since October 2024 to 23 games (20 wins, 3 draws) with today's victory.

However, Coach Kim Sang-sik did not smile broadly despite the win. According to local media such as 'Thanhnien,' Coach Kim said, "It was a difficult away match, but I am truly happy about the victory. It is the result of the players giving their all," while also adding, "Although we won, it was a tough game overall. There were some difficulties in executing our prepared tactics."

He further emphasized, "Overall, the team did not play as originally planned. From the coach's perspective, that point is not satisfactory. We will prepare for the next match with careful analysis. We must focus on the second leg to be held in Hanoi. To deliver a better performance, we need to correct our mistakes."

This year marks the 30th edition of the 'Hyundai Cup,' with a change in the main sponsor. As defending champions, Vietnam aims for its fourth overall title. The second leg of the semi-finals against Malaysia will be held on the 19th at 10 p.m. local time at the My Dinh National Stadium in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, in the other bracket, traditional powerhouse Thailand defeated Singapore 3-1, sending a clear signal for their advancement to the final. Thailand, with seven overall titles, had previously lost to Vietnam in the 2024 tournament final.

<© STARNEWS. All rights reserved. No reproduction or redistribution allowed.>

*This content was translated by AI.