Vietnam retain 2026 ASEAN Cup after 2-2 draw with Thailand

Thailand, trailing 2-0 from last Saturday's first leg in Bangkok, started on the front foot at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi and took the lead in the 12th minute.

Vietnam defender Nguyen Van Vi was forced off with an injury after eight minutes, but his replacement Nguyen Tuan Tai later played a key role in the hosts' first goal.

Yotsakorn opened the scoring after Vietnam failed to clear a cross from the right, allowing the Thai forward to fire past goalkeeper Le Giang Patrik from inside the box.

Vietnam survived further pressure and nearly equalised before halftime when Nguyen Xuan Son's close-range header struck the crossbar.

Thailand missed a chance to level the aggregate score early in the second half when Kakana was brought down in the box. The Thailand forward took the resulting penalty himself but sent his effort over the bar in the 48th minute.

Vietnam punished the miss four minutes later. Tuan Tai's cross found Hoang Hen, whose first-time effort struck the post before rebounding off goalkeeper Bootprom and into the net.

The own goal restored Vietnam's two-goal aggregate advantage, making it 3-1.

Thailand reduced the deficit in the 85th minute when Wanchai scored, but the defender then turned the ball into his own net in the third minute of stoppage time to make it 2-2 on the night.

Vietnam's victory completed their successful title defense and extended their reign as Southeast Asian champions.