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Thể Thao 247 - The history of confronting between Vietnam and Thailand has proven that King’s Cup match deserves the super classic match of Southeast Asian football.
Thailand has always been Vietnam biggest rival in all tournament of ASEAN zone. Vietnam accepted bitter defeats.
1995 SEA Games
This is the tournament that marked the return of Vietnam in the regional arena. Vietnam has clashed ‘Changsuek’ twice. In the first round match, Vietnam lost with a score of 1-3 but then defeated both Indonesia and Malaysia to step into the semi-finals. Vietnam continued to defeat Myanmar 2-1 to reunite Thailand in the final. However, this confrontation was even more bitter than the group stage after a 0-4 thrashing. However, this tournament was still considered a successful SEA Games period of the Vietnamese team in the return to the regional arena.
Tiger Cup 1996
A year after the failure in 1995 SEA Games, Vietnamese had a chance to reunite Thailand in 1996 Tiger Cup in which Vietnam were not overestimated when compared to the other competitors. Vietnam finished second in the group stage with 8 points, following the first group Indonesia 2 points. However, Vietnam still had a ticket to the semi-finals and the opponent was once again the Thai team.
Being judged weaker than the opponent, Vietnam lost 4-2 in the final. Two players who scored for the Vietnam team are Hoang Buu and Hong Son, both at the last minute of the match. Meanwhile Thailand soon took the lead in the third minute thanks to Kiatisak, before Netipong scored twice and Worrawoot set 4-0 in the first half.
Tiger Cup 1998
This is one of the most memorable but also most regrettable tournaments for the Vietnamese team. Under the guidance of coach Alfred Riedl, our players crushed Thailand with a score of 3-0 in the semifinal match right on Hang Day stadium. This is also the first victory of Vietnam in the competition. With a booming atmosphere, the Vietnamese team entered the final against Singapore. Perhaps now, all fans have thought of the first Southeast Asian championship to stay with the S-shaped land.
Unfortunately, the script did not go as expected. In the final, Vietnam lost to Singapore with a single goal from Sasi Kumar. This match has left regret for 25,000 spectators on Hang Day stadium as well as millions of football fans all over Vietnam.
1999 SEA Games
Another SEA Games period, the Vietnamese team had a chance to confront Thailand twice. In the group stage, with excellence in defense, we drew our opponents 0-0. However, when reunited in the final, Vietnam lost to Thailand with the score 0-2. Once again, Vietnam was defeated by Thailand in the final and had to pity with the Silver Medal title.
Tiger Cup 2002
In this tournament, the Thai team did not achieve high performance when it only won 4 points after 3 matches in the group stage. They won Laos 5-1, lost to Malaysia 1-3 and drew Singapore 1-1. However, that is enough for Thailand to get a ticket to go to the semi-final and meet Vietnam.
In terms of performance at that time, the Vietnamese team clearly outperformed their opponents. We won 9-2 against Cambodia in the opening match, beating the Philippines 4-1, beating Indonesia 2-2 before lowering Myanmar 4-2 (Vietnam team is in the group with 5 teams). The atmosphere flared to enter the semi-finals, unexpectedly Vietnam lost to Thailand 0-4 and the opponent was crowned champion after defeating Singapore on the 11m in the final.
SEA Games 2003
The 2003 SEA Games period in Vietnam is the first time this tournament has changed the rules of using U23 squad. At that time Vietnam U23 team under the leadership of coach Alfred Riedl with Van Quyen, Huy Hoang, Minh Phuong, Quoc Vuong in the squad was overwhelming Thailand in the group stage, but we also only get results. 1-1 draw.
Reunited at the final match on My Dinh stadium, the Vietnamese team dropped the Gold Medal regrettably in extra time when Thailand had a goal to win 2-1. After this tournament, the Vietnamese team was nicknamed the second king in Southeast Asia.
2005 SEA Games
This is the most unforgettable tournament in Vietnamese football history. A series of players considered to be the future of the national football have been involved in a match-fixing scandal. Riedl's army also defeated heavily 0-3 against Thailand in the final, although before that, the Vietnamese team was also highly appreciated when it was first in the group stage.
AFF Cup 2007
At AFF Cup 2007, the Vietnamese team, after a draw against Singapore and Indonesia, excelled in a 9-0 victory over Laos, thereby winning a ticket to the knock out round. However, Vietnam continued to lose to Thailand when losing 2-0 after 2 matches in the semi-finals. However, Thailand could not take the championship in this tournament when losing to Singapore.
AFF Cup 2008
Definitely AFF Cup 2008 is the tournament that brings the sweetest memory for fans of the Vietnamese team. In the Rajamangala stadium in the final match, Vietnam won with the score 2-1. After that, in the return match, we successfully drew the opponent with an unforgettable reverse header of Le Cong Vinh. This is the first time, the Vietnamese team has stepped up to the glory with the Southeast Asian championship.
2009 SEA Games
At SEA Games 2009, Vietnam U23 Vietnam 0-0 in the group stage. Our team has excellently won the ticket for the top spot, while Thailand was eliminated immediately after this round when only ranked 3rd with 7 points. Vietnam U23 team defeated Singapore in the semifinals but lost to Malaysia in the final with a score of 0-1.
AFF Cup 2012
Another forgettable tournament of Vietnamese football. Under the guidance of coach Phan Thanh Hung, our players lost to the Philippines before receiving more defeat 1-3 before Thailand and stopped right in the group stage.
2015 SEA Games
The match between U23 Vietnam and U23 Thailand in the group stage at this tournament is not meaningful when both have won the ticket to continue. Mr. Toshiya Miura launched the squad with many substitute players and lost to Thailand 1-3.
2017 SEA Games
Vietnam lost to Thailand and had to leave the tournament in the first round, even though U22 Vietnam with high quality talented players like Cong Phuong, Van Toan and Tuan Anh were full confident. The defeat against Thailand was strongly imprinted by goalkeeper PhiMinh Long, when the player foul twice, Vietnam conceded two goal.
In all of the confrontations with Thai football at SEA Games and AFF Cup, Vietnam only won 2 victories, drew 5 matches and lost 13 matches. These statistics show why Thailand is so confident every time it confronts Vietnam.
However, things have changed since Coach Park Hang Seo took over the position of head coach of Vietnam. With great victories like the Asian U23 finalists, reaching the quarterfinals of ASIAD 2018, winning the AFF Cup 2018, making it to the top 8 most powerful Asian Cup teams in 2019, now Vietnam has a reason to end 20 years being underdog to Thailand. Most recently, we have won a sweet victory with the score 4-0 in the U23 Asian qualifier 2020, the Vietnamese team will have a chance to assert their ambitions in the King’s Cup arena.
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