Coach Kim Sang Sik leads Vietnam into the 2026 ASEAN Cup final. Photo: Anh Khoa
Vietnam defeated Malaysia 2-0 at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday evening, with Nguyen Xuan Son scoring both goals in the second leg of the semifinal.
The Golden Dragons had beaten the Malaysian hosts 2-0 in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.
The results sent Vietnam through to a final against Thailand and gave Kim a unique place in Vietnamese football history.
The South Korean coach led Vietnam to the ASEAN Cup final in 2024, when they defeated Thailand in both legs of the final to win 5-3 on aggregate.
Two years later, Kim took Vietnam back to the finale, giving the team a chance to defend their crown.
His achievement surpasses that of his predecessor, Park Hang Seo, who took Vietnam to two AFF Cup finals during his more than five years in charge. However, those appearances did not come in consecutive editions.
Under Park, Vietnam won the 2018 AFF Cup after beating Malaysia 3-2 on aggregate.
At the following tournament in 2020, they were eliminated by Thailand in the semifinals.
Vietnam returned to the final in 2022 but lost 3-2 on aggregate to Thailand, finishing as runners-up.
The 2026 ASEAN Championship, Southeast Asia's premier men's international football tournament, runs from July 24 to August 26, featuring 10 teams divided into two groups.
Vietnam competed in Group A alongside Indonesia, Singapore, Cambodia, and Timor-Leste, while Group B consisted of Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, Myanmar, and Laos.
My Dinh Stadium hosts Vietnam's home matches during the tournament.
After nearly a month of competition, Vietnam and Thailand have emerged as the two finalists in the 2026 ASEAN Cup.
The first leg of the final will take place at Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok at 8:00 pm on August 22.
The second leg of the 2026 ASEAN Cup final between Vietnam and Thailand will be played at My Dinh National Stadium in Hanoi at 8:00 pm on August 26.
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