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| The new champion of AFF Cup. (THANH NIEN STAFF PHOTO) | ||
It was Vietnam’s first win over Thailand in an official competition since 1998 when Vietnam defeated Thailand 3-0 in the semifinals of same tournament, then called the Tiger Cup, though Vietnam lost 1-0 to Singapore in the final.
It has been 49 years since Vietnam won a regional championship when the football team of South Vietnam took the Southeast Asian Peninsular (SEAP) championship in 1959.
Last night, the visiting team scored the opener in the first half and hung on to the lead all through the second half before Vietnam’s top striker Le Cong Vinh evened the score, securing victory for the home team and sending fans into a frenzy.
Vietnam’s Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem were on the stand to witness the historic win.
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| Vietnam’s football team tosses coach Hendrique Calisto to celebrate winning the 2008 AFF Cup |
It was poetic justice for the winners because Thailand’s striker Teerasil Dangda headed into Vietnam’s net from a free kick and Vinh also headed home a free kick by substitute midfielder Minh Phuong.
The Vietnamese players truly deserved to win the title as they improved on every match throughout the tournament.
Their dream win followed a telling dethronement of Cup defenders, Singapore 1-0 on aggregate after two legs in the semifinals.
With the two fold advantage of a 2-1 win over Thailand in the first leg final in Bangkok on Christmas Eve and home soil, Vietnam started fast and confidently.
The home team launched attack after attack with some scoring chances but couldn’t convert.
The relentless attacks from Vietnam put Thailand under pressure and the visitors had to play counterattack.
It may have been their strategy, as Thailand appeared to play counterattack to avoid getting fatigued and look for chances.
They got the chance they were waiting for after 21 minutes when they were offered a free kick and striker Dangda scored the opener to put Thailand in the lead.
The goal made the score two-all on aggregate and both teams were back on level terms because the AFF organizers don’t apply the away goal rule.
The Vietnamese players kept their nerve after the Danga header. They continued to control the match and had more attacks than Thailand in the last 15 minutes of the first half.
The host team almost had an equalizer in the 45th minute when Thailand’s defense got mixed-up in the six-yard area but Vietnam’s left-back Quang Thanh’s close-range shot missed his team’s first half clearest chance.
The home team continued the second half full of confidence with Thailand still playing in an out-of-character counterattack style.
Both teams missed some chances but the foul on the attacking Cong Vinh on the left flank in extra time won Vietnam the free kick that changed Southeast Asian football history.
Vietnam’s team coach Hendrique Calisto said after the match, “I’m very happy. The Vietnamese team had to suffer great pressure from their rivals, especially after Thailand scored the opener.”
Calisto said his team played poorly in the first half but he made some strategic changes and the team played better in the second.
He said he was very happy. “Now I can only say I’m extremely happy. And I want to thank the millions of Vietnamese fans and sports reporters who have supported us,” Calisto said. “I’ll celebrate the victory with my players and close friends tonight.”
Meanwhile, Thailand’s team coach Peter Reid congratulated Vietnam’s victory. He said it was hard to sit and answer questions after his team was defeated.
Reid said Thailand deserved to win the second leg match in Hanoi last night but said Vietnam had made a lot of improvements throughout the tournament.
Reid also said he was especially impressed by Vietnam’s goalkeeper Duong Hong Son, adding that Son was half the team.
Vietnam Football Federation Chairman Nguyen Trong Hy Sunday said the federation would reward the team VND4 billion (US$237,000) for last night’s performance. This takes the tournament’s total cash rewards for the team to over VND10 billion ($591,000), not including the $100,000 cash prize from AFF.
The victory set off wild celebrations nationwide as millions poured out into the streets in a frenzy of screaming, honking and waving of the national flag.
Source: http://www.thanhniennews.com/
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