Phạm Tuấn Hải (10) and a teammate celebrate Việt Nam's equaliser against Thailand in the 82nd minute. VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

Anh Đức

BANGKOK — A rollercoaster of emotions at Bangkok's Rajamangala Stadium, which ended in the most deserved victory for the Việt Nam national football team, who overcame every obstacle thrown at them to win the second leg of the 2024 ASEAN Championship final 3-2 against Thailand on Sunday.

The result meant that Việt Nam became the champions of ASEAN football for the third time in history, and for the first time they won the trophy away from home.

The Golden Star Warriors found the opening goal early through Phạm Tuấn Hải, but Thailand soon equalised through Ben Davis' screamer.

Việt Nam's rising star and tournament top scorer Nguyễn Xuân Son had to end his night early after a nasty broken leg just before half time.

Thailand went ahead with a controversial goal from Supachok Sarachat, but a red card from Weerathep Pomphan dampened their efforts to find the winner. Việt Nam found the equaliser that they deserved as Pansa Hemviboon scored an own goal, and eventually they won the match with the last kick of the ball courtesy of a 40-metre goal from Nguyễn Hai Long.

Việt Nam's coach, Kim Sang-sik surprised many by handing striker Phạm Tuấn Hải his first start this tournament. Having been injured before the tournament, Hải had his appearance limited to an appearance from the bench.

But Hải proved to be s pivotal change that decided the game for Việt Nam, right off the bat. In the eighth minute, Hải scored the opening goal for Việt Nam with a cheeky lob, as he went unnoticed after every Thai defender was focused on Xuân Son.

A wounded Thailand pushed forward looking for the equaliser, but they were thwarted in nine out of ten attempts by the Vietnamese defenders.

On the one occasion where they were not, in the 28th minute, Ben Davis capitalised with a powerful shot from just outside the box, that went straight into Nguyễn Đình Triệu's bottom left corner. Doãn Ngọc Tân, who received praise all around the tournament, was at fault, in a rare mistake near the penalty area.

Just mere minutes after Davis' equaliser, more challenges were thrown at Việt Nam, as star striker Xuân Son broke his leg after delivering a cross inside the box. Xuân Son was replaced by Nguyễn Tiến Linh and the Brazilian-born had to be transported straight to hospital in Bangkok.

Thailand, with the mental advantage and the fans on their side, pushed on forward and exerted immense pressure on the Vietnamese defence, looking for the lead to tie the game on aggregate. The Vietnamese defence however, played really well and actively deterred attack after attack.

A desperate Changsuek sought every opportunity for victory, from strong challenges to pressuring the referee. Supachok Sarachat's goal in the 65th minute was perhaps the epitome of this.

In a disputed situation where Thai attackers deemed that Đình Triệu was handling the ball outside the box, the keeper then threw the ball out to touch for medical officers to come in and treat one of his teammates. After the restart however, Thai players did not return the ball to Việt Nam in a normal fair-play manner, but passed to Supachok who fired from distance towards Đình Triệu's back of the net.

As the Vietnamese players were deeming that Thai players would return the ball, none of them made challenges to stop Supachok, allowing him to score the screamer. Play was stopped for about fifteen minutes as both sets of players complained to the referee. The goal still stood however, as everything was all legal.

Captain Đỗ Duy Mạnh sought to settle with Thai captain Peeradol Chamratsamee for a situation same as Leeds vs Aston Villa years ago, where Leeds defenders allowed Villa to score back a goal after Leeds also committed an unfair play similar to Thailand. But the settlement failed as Thai players kept on playing.

Vietnamese national team lifts the trophy at Rajamangala Stadium (Bangkok). — VNA/VNS Photo

But as the pundits and fans all around say, the football Gods were acting fair and square.

In the 75th minute, Việt Nam had a man advantage after Weerathep Pomphan received his second booking. Thailand were confused in their play, struggled to keep up the pressure and still needed a goal to win the Cup.

Việt Nam, seeing their chance to finish the match once and for all, pushed forward and got the equaliser they so deserved in the 83rd minute. Phạm Tuấn Hải's right footed curled shot was tapped into the back of the net by Pansa Hemviboon.

Việt Nam was then 4-3 up on aggregate, with Thailand needing one more goal to bring the match to extra time, and two more to win the cup, with just ten men.

With more than twenty minutes added on, both sets of fans endured another rollercoaster ride of emotion. Thailand tried with everything they had, even bringing their keeper Patiwat Khammai inside the Vietnamese box for a corner in the 20th minute of added time.

The corner failed, Patiwat left his net empty and Nguyễn Hai Long saw the opportunity to shoot a dagger into Thailand's hopes and dreams, with a goal from around 35m that trickled into Patiwat's net, finishing the game 3-2 for Việt Nam.

"We have tried and we have accomplished. This was a very emotional match for us and we underwent many pressures. But we all carried on with the determination to play for the jersey and the country," said goal scorer Phạm Tuấn Hải.

"Coach Kim told us to play for the players who went down injured and bring the Cup home to Việt Nam," Hải added.

In addition to the historic trophy win, Việt Nam also won two individual awards, with Best Goalkeeper going to Nguyễn Đình Triệu and Most Valuable Player going to Nguyễn Xuân Son.

Having started the year on a winless streak and having to change the coach, no one could foresee such a result in the ASEAN Championship for Việt Nam.

But in the same manner as their victory on Sunday, the team overcame all the difficulties to find the victory, six years after their last win in 2018.

The win will go down in history as one of the best ASEAN Championship finals ever played and the party has gone on into the night in cities across Việt Nam. — VNS

Vietnamese team celebrating their victory after the match in Thailand ended. — VNA/VNS Photo