Vietnam Defeats Thailand in First Leg of ASEAN Cup 2024 Final. Vietnam made history by defeating Thailand 2-1 at home for the first time in 27 years in the first leg of the 2024 ASEAN Cup final, thanks to a brace from forward Nguyen Xuan Son.
This victory ended a 27-year winless streak for Vietnam against Thailand on home soil. Xuan Son, a Brazilian-born naturalized forward, scored twice in the second half to give Vietnam a two-goal lead. However, Thailand’s central defender Chalermsak Aukkee scored a header to reduce the deficit, keeping Thailand’s hopes alive for the second leg on January 5.
The 2024 ASEAN Cup does not apply the away goals rule, so if Thailand wins by a one-goal margin in the return leg, the match will go to extra time and potentially penalties. In case of a draw, Vietnam will win the title at Rajamangala Stadium, Thailand’s fortress.
While the victory was a milestone, it also left some regret for the Vietnamese fans. The team created 21 shots during the match, including two clear chances missed by Xuan Son and Vu Van Thanh. However, it was these two players who combined to set up Vietnam’s first goal.
In the 59th minute, substitute Nguyen Quang Hai delivered a cross from the right, which Van Thanh headed down for Xuan Son to finish with a close-range shot, beating goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai. The goal sent the Vietnam National Stadium into an uproar, with even Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh visibly excited.
In the first half, Vietnam had 10 chances but failed to score. The best opportunity came from Van Thanh, whose shot from the right side of the penalty box went wide due to a slip at the critical moment.
Xuan Son, though at times hurried and shooting from awkward positions, regained his composure after scoring the first goal and netted a second, which was even more impressive. In the 73rd minute, Xuan Son stole the ball from Chalermsak in midfield, dribbled away, and after bypassing central defender Pansa Hemviboon, he fired a powerful shot into the far corner, beating Patiwat again. This goal marked his seventh of the tournament, further solidifying his lead in the top scorer race.
The confrontation between Xuan Son and Chalermsak was one of the most anticipated aspects of the match. Before the game, the Thai defender had stated he did not know who Xuan Son was, but by now, he surely has his answer. Xuan Son continuously troubled Chalermsak and the Thai defenders. In one instance, Son lost the ball but used his strength to win it back and earned a corner for his team, which earned applause from the Vietnamese fans in the stands.
After taking a 2-0 lead, the Vietnamese team opted to slow the pace of the game and played more defensively to protect their advantage. Thailand responded by bringing on two key players, Weerathep Pomphan and Suphanat Mueanta, who had not been fully fit. Weerathep helped Thailand regain control of the game, while Suphanat created several dangerous situations.
In the 81st minute, Suphanat’s free kick hit the crossbar and bounced down in front of goal, forcing Vietnam’s defender Thanh Chung to clear the ball. Two minutes later, Suphanat delivered a precise cross from the left side into the penalty area, where Chalermsak rose above Bui Tien Dung to head the ball into the far corner for Thailand’s first goal. In this situation, goalkeeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu was unable to come out in time to punch the ball away.
After scoring, Chalermsak clasped his hands in front of him, as if apologizing for the second goal conceded. A small number of Thai fans in the stands cheered briefly, after tens of minutes of disappointment.
The 2-1 scoreline was also the result of the first leg of the other semifinal between Thailand and the Philippines, where the Thai team came back to win 3-1 in the second leg. Therefore, nothing is certain about the outcome of this final. However, what Vietnam and Xuan Son have achieved so far has been enough to send fans across the country celebrating on the streets after the match. They would have been even happier had Xuan Son not missed two close-range chances late in the game, but it’s impossible to overlook the excellent performance of goalkeeper Patiwat, who made seven crucial saves.
Nonetheless, this victory marked Vietnam’s first official win over Thailand in a major competition since the 2008 AFF Cup final, also with a 2-1 scoreline. If the Vietnamese team continues to play with high-intensity pressure as they did in Phu Tho, earning a draw in the return leg in Bangkok is certainly within reach.
Nguồn: Vnexpress
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