Football
Football
Kim Sang-sik’s Vietnam Chases Historic Second Consecutive Regional Title
Kim Sang-sik’s Vietnam Chases Historic Second Consecutive Regional Title
The Vietnam national football team, led by coach Kim Sang-sik, is embarking on a quest for its first-ever back-to-back championship in Southeast Asia’s premier football tournament, often dubbed the “Southeast Asian World Cup.” The tournament, now known as the ASEAN Hyundai Cup, kicked off on the 24th and will run through next month, concluding on the 26th.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of the biennial competition, which gathers the region’s top footballing nations. Vietnam enters as the defending champion, aiming for its fourth overall title. The team’s recent preparation included a training camp in Korea, where they secured three victories against local clubs and later defeated Myanmar 4-0 in a final warm-up match.
Coach Kim Sang-sik emphasized teamwork over individual reliance, stating the primary goal is to advance from the group stage. Vietnam is placed in Group A alongside Singapore, Indonesia, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste. Their opening match on the 24th is against Timor-Leste, currently ranked 201st by FIFA.
The path to a repeat championship will likely involve strong competition, with Thailand, a seven-time winner, considered a formidable rival. Thailand has achieved consecutive titles three times in the past but lost to Vietnam in the previous tournament’s final with an aggregate score of 3-5. All eyes are now on whether Kim Sang-sik can guide Vietnam to this unprecedented second consecutive victory.
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