Vietnam Defeats Thailand 2 to 0 in ASEAN Championship Final First Leg
Anyone who watched the first half of the final match of the ASEAN Championship in Bangkok on Saturday saw how harsh the second half was. The defending champions, Vietnam, won 2-0 away to Thailand. Two quick goals turned a closely fought match into a dominant display, putting the visitors in complete control of the tie ahead of Wednesday's match in Hanoi. The final score hides a very tense opening 45 minutes. Thailand manager Anthony Hudson set up his team to disrupt Vietnam's passing and apply constant pressure. The home side carried out that plan well in the first half, unsettling the visitors. They matched the reigning champions and fashioned the best chance up to that point. Yotsakon Burapha broke through the defence and was completely unmarked in front of goal, but he failed to shoot and instead blazed his effort well over the crossbar. Vietnam punished that miss 17 minutes into the second half. They scored first from deep in their own half when Doan Van Hau played a long pass forward. Nguyen Dinh Bac gathered the ball in the air and instantly backheeled it to the arriving Nguyen Hai Long. Hai Long then scored with a precise shot into the net. Seven minutes later, Vietnam struck again. Do Hoang Hen moved down the right and whipped a bending cross toward the far post. Nguyen Quang Hai read the ball's path, ran into the penalty area, and lashed a first-time volley straight past Thai goalkeeper Kampon Phatomakkakul.  The two quick goals changed the course of the match. When the Thai players tried to mount a reply, the home fans fell silent. For the rest of the evening, Vietnam goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang controlled his penalty area to preserve the clean sheet. He organised the defence to repel the final Thai attacks. "The game was quite difficult, but it was an important victory for us ahead of the home match, so we are very pleased," Le Giang said after the win. "I'm glad I didn't concede a goal, but most important to me, as always, is that we won." The focus now shifts to the return match in Hanoi. On Wednesday, Vietnam will only need to protect a two-goal lead to win the tie. If they secure an aggregate victory, they will win their fourth ASEAN Championship title. It will also be the first time in the competition's history that the national team has won back-to-back tournaments.
