Vietnam lose to Thailand, miss out on FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 final

Thailand opened the scoring just 10 minutes into the match when Sarach Yooyen fired a powerful shot from around 20 meters following an attack down the right flank.

Goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang managed to get a hand to the ball but could not prevent it from finding the net.

After falling behind, Vietnam pushed higher up the pitch and increased their pressing, but head coach Kim Sang Sik's side struggled to create clear-cut opportunities against Thailand's organized defense.

Vietnam came closest to equalizing shortly before half-time when Vo Hoang Minh Khoa sent Nguyen Tai Loc through on goal.

Tai Loc calmly beat goalkeeper Saranon Anuin, but the goal was ruled out for offside following a VAR review, leaving Thailand 1-0 ahead at the break.

Kim responded with three substitutions at the start of the second half, introducing Minh Hoang, Hoang Hen, and Hoang Duc in an attempt to sharpen the Vietnamese attack.

Thailand nearly doubled their advantage in the 52nd minute when Sarach's free kick struck the post.

Vietnam subsequently enjoyed more possession but continued to find it difficult to penetrate Thailand's defense.

Hoang Duc had an opportunity in the 58th minute after making his way into the penalty area, but his right-footed effort was comfortably saved by Saranon.

Kim later brought on Hai Long and Dang Khoa as Vietnam continued to push for an equalizer, but the changes failed to produce a breakthrough.

Thailand eventually sealed the victory in the third minute of stoppage time.

Chaiyaphon Otton beat Vietnam's offside trap to collect a through ball before finishing past Le Giang in a one-on-one situation, making it 2-0.

The result lifted Thailand to six points and guaranteed them the top spot in Group B and a place in the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 final.

Vietnam remain second with three points and can no longer overtake Thailand, meaning they are out of contention for the finale.

Speaking at the post-match press conference, Kim apologized to Vietnamese fans for the defeat.

“The players gave everything they had against Thailand,” Kim said.

“We adopted different tactical approaches in the first and second halves, but unfortunately, the final result was disappointing as Vietnam lost the match.”

The South Korean coach, however, urged his players and supporters to remain focused on the remainder of the tournament.

“The tournament is not over yet. Let's wait and see what happens in the upcoming match against Pakistan,” he said.

Vietnam will face Pakistan in their final group-stage match on October 2.