Be cautious, but not fearful.

Thailand is a great mountain, but is there any mountain that cannot be overcome?

In their last seven matches against Thailand, the Vietnamese team has only drawn or lost. Most recently, in September 2024, Kim Sang-sik's team lost 1-2 to Thailand at My Dinh Stadium. However, coach Kim Sang-sik affirmed that those defeats are a thing of the past. "We are only focusing on the present. The players are putting all their effort into this match. I told the players that it's either win the championship, win the championship, or win the championship. The Vietnamese team will give their all for the final," Kim shared with the press.

Coach Kim Sang-sik (left) and his player Xuan Manh are determined to lead the Vietnamese national team to victory in the "fiery cauldron" of Viet Tri.

The South Korean strategist showed respect for his opponent, calling Thailand a "big mountain," but he added, "There's no mountain that can't be climbed." Coach Kim Sang-sik's confidence stems from the Vietnamese team's impressive form with six unbeaten matches (five wins, one draw), along with their superior physical condition compared to Thailand, who were exhausted after their 120-minute second leg semi-final against the Philippines.

"The players will fight as a united team to win and give the fans a gift in the early days of the new year 2025. I know Thailand just went through a long and tiring match against the Philippines. After that, they had to travel to Vietnam. The Thai players are affected both mentally and physically, which gives Vietnam confidence and a good spirit. We will try our best to play strongly," said coach Kim Sang-sik.

Kim also expressed confidence ahead of the match against Thailand's coach Masatada Ishii. After defeating a Japanese strategist (Tsutomu Ogura of Singapore), Kim is ready to take down another coach from the Land of the Rising Sun. "The Thai coach is Japanese, and I am Korean, so this is an 'East Asian derby' between the two coaches. Hopefully, my players and I will play well to win against another team coached by a Japanese coach."

Meanwhile, Thailand's coach Masatada Ishii asserted that the Vietnamese team is "very strong" and: "They have improved and changed their lineup to be far different from what they were in September 2024."

Thailand's disadvantage in the final is the packed travel and training schedule. "Not only is Suphanat Muenta having problems, but several other players are also injured. I will work with the coaching staff to ensure the players are in the best possible physical condition," said Ishii.

However, Thailand's goal remains unchanged: victory. "I wanted Thailand to win all eight matches in the 2024 AFF Cup, but we've already lost to the Philippines. So I told the players they have to beat Vietnam in the final. The Thai team is determined to win this match."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/dau-tri-chung-ket-viet-nam-dai-chien-thai-lan-than-trong-nhung-khong-so-hai-185250101223708595.htm