Vietnam head coach Park Hang-seo affirmed that, although the result was not enough to send them through to the final match, the players delivered their best during the second leg of the AFF Cup semi-final with Thailand on December 26.
The Golden Star Warriors showcased an excellent fighting spirit and poured tremendous pressure on the Thais during their Sunday encounter.
Despite creating a bunch of opportunities, Park’s side failed to convert any of them into a goal throughout the match. The stalemate remained unchanged until the final whistle, which meant Vietnam became the former champions of the tournament and Thailand advanced to the final match with an aggregate 2-0 victory.
Speaking at a post-match press briefing, Park admitted that Vietnam faced some problems in the first leg and could not continue with their title defence campaign. However, he affirmed that the players did all that they could.
“We were defeated and missed out on a final place. But we deployed our best choices regarding both tactics and personnel. The players gave their best,” the Korean coach told reporters.
Touching upon his substitutions, Park explained: “We deployed Tuan Anh to change the formation. When Thanh Chung rises high, there must be a replacement, and it could only be Tuan Anh. Van Xuan and Xuan Manh are defenders, but it is not right to say that they are just defensive. Both have a tendency to attack.”
When asked if Vietnam remain the best team in Southeast Asia, the coach refused to comment but stressed his confidence that the team are capable of competing against any opponents.
Thailand and Indonesia will clash in the first leg of the AFF Cup final on December 29, before meeting again in the second leg on the first day of 2022.
Source: Nhan Dan Online
