Vietnam team breaks the 'curse' of the AFF Cup final return leg?

No team has ever won the second leg of the final away from home since the AFF Cup switched to a two-legged format in the knockout round in 2004. Vietnam will become the first team to do so if they defeat Thailand at Rajamangala Stadium (Bangkok) in the match taking place at 8pm today (January 5).

It is not unprecedented for a team to lift the AFF Cup trophy on away ground. Singapore (2007), Malaysia (2010) and Thailand (2014) all did so without winning away from home. Vietnam could become the fourth team to win the title on away ground.

The Vietnamese team has the advantage before the second leg of the final.

The Vietnamese team actually only needs a draw to win the 2024 AFF Cup. The 2-1 victory in the first leg gives coach Kim Sang-sik and his team an advantage in the rematch. However, the Thai team also has reason to believe in their ability to turn the situation around.

Since the 2012 AFF Cup, Thailand has not lost any semi-final or final match at home (or when playing on neutral ground as hosts in the 2020 AFF Cup). The last time Thailand lost the AFF Cup final at home was in 2008. At that time, the opponent that defeated the team from the land of the golden pagodas was the Vietnamese team.

Thailand are also the only team to have overturned a first-leg defeat to win the title on the other side of the pitch. That was in 2016 against Indonesia. They lost 1-2 in the first leg at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta before winning 2-0 in the rematch at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok.

"There is no disadvantage for us. I cannot say exactly about the lineup for tomorrow's match but we have prepared the best for the match and everything is fine with the Thai team. We have even prepared for the penalty shootout," said Thailand coach Masatada Ishii before the match with Vietnam.

Xiao Ming

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/tuyen-viet-nam-pha-loi-nguyen-chung-ket-luot-ve-aff-cup-ar918333.html