Exclusive: Vietnam's Golden Dream Fades After 0-2 Defeat to Thailand

After a disappointing 0-2 loss to strong opponent Thailand in the 2026 ASEAN Championship, coach Kim Sang Sĩk's team has officially lost hope of becoming champions due to the direct tie-breaker calculation. The match was played at home with emotional support but Vietnam could not capitalize on time. Just 10 minutes into the game, Sarach Yooyen scored for Thailand with an effective long-range shot. Despite having more chances and even having a goal disallowed due to offside, Vietnam still failed to shine against the solid goalkeeper structure of the opponent. The result means that even if Vietnam wins both remaining matches with the condition that Thailand loses both, Vietnam will still not be able to overtake because Thailand has the direct advantage. Instead, they can only hope for a positive result against Pakistan to secure second place and qualify for the third place match. Previously, in the previous round, Pakistan even had a very worrying match when they drew 2-2 after losing 0-2 to the Philippines. This is exactly the opportunity for Vietnam to recover, but it requires high focus and avoiding repeating tactical mistakes in the decisive moments like today. Especially, Vietnam's overly high play in the final minutes created chances for Thailand to score the second goal in the 90+3 minute. The pressure on the atmosphere of the entire team, especially coach Kim Sang Sĩk, is increasing. The task of protecting their voice and demonstrating their professionalism will be a big challenge against the pressure from the media and fans.