'Kim Sang-sik's Vietnam' Makes History Again in Vietnam, First Two-Goal Victory on Thai Soil as Away Trip... Aiming for First Back-to-Back ASEAN Cup Titles

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Under the guidance of head coach Kim Sang-sik, the Vietnam national football team secured a decisive victory in an away match against their biggest rival, Thailand. This marks the first time in history that Yeon Ryeong-byeol (CEO) has achieved a two-goal margin win over Thailand on Thai soil.

On the 22nd (Korea time), Vietnam defeated Thailand 2-0 in the first leg of the 2026 ASEAN Hyundai Cup final at Rajamangala National Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. According to the FIFA rankings, Vietnam is ranked 99th while Thailand holds the 94th position.

The match was decided in the second half. In the 17th minute of the second half, Nguyen Hai Long converted a heel pass from Nguyen Dinh Bach with a left-footed shot, shaking the Thai goal net. With momentum on their side, Vietnam added another goal seven minutes later through a left-footed volley by Nguyen Quang Hai, securing a two-goal lead that they held until the final whistle.

This victory was significant as it not only rewrote Vietnam's football history but also brought them one step closer to winning the tournament.

According to Vietnamese media outlets such as VN Express, today's win will be recorded in history as the first time Vietnam has achieved a two-goal or greater margin victory over Thailand on Thai soil. Prior to this, all of Vietnam's away wins against Thailand — whether by the A national team or youth teams including the U-23 and U-17 squads under Yeon Ryeong-byeol (CEO) — were one-goal victories.

The A-match unbeaten streak, which has already been rewriting Vietnam's football history match by match, has now extended to 25 games. During the tenure of former coach Park Hang-seo, the longest unbeaten run was 18 consecutive matches. Since Kim Sang-sik took over as head coach, Vietnam has remained unbeaten for 25 straight games. During this period, the team recorded an impressive 22 wins and 3 draws, scoring 65 goals while conceding only 10.

With today's victory, Vietnam has secured a favorable position ahead of the second leg of the final, scheduled to be held on the 26th at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi, Vietnam. Even if they lose by one goal in that match, they will still claim the title. Since the away goals rule does not apply in this tournament, even a two-goal loss would lead to extra time being played at home.

If Vietnam advances to the top without any major upset and wins based on the combined score of both legs against Thailand, they will achieve back-to-back ASEAN Cup titles for the first time in history, following their 2024 championship. Previously, under coach Park Hang-seo, Vietnam won the title in 2018 but was eliminated in the semifinals in 2020, ending their bid for consecutive titles. In the 2022 final, they settled for the runner-up position.

If 'Kim Sang-sik's Vietnam' claims the title again this tournament after winning in 2024, it will not only mark the first time in history that a team has won back-to-back ASEAN Cup titles but also cement head coach Kim Sang-sik's legacy as the first manager to lead Vietnam to two ASEAN Cup championships.

Head coach Kim Sang-sik stated, "Today's match proved that our players delivered a superior and impressive performance compared to the Thai team. However, this was only the first leg. With the second leg remaining at My Dinh, we will prepare even more thoroughly."

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*This content was translated by AI.View Original