Vietnam wins thriller against Thailand to lift Asean Championship title
The HinduVietnam won the Asean Championship for the third time on Sunday as a 3-2 win over 10-man defending champion Thailand in the second leg of the final in Bangkok, sealed a 5-3 aggregate victory for Kim Sang-sik’s side. Pansa Hemviboon’s 82nd minute own goal and a stoppage time effort from Nguyen Hai Long secured Vietnam’s first success since 2018 as the Golden Star Warriors avenged their loss to the Thais in the previous final in 2022. Vietnam led 2-1 following Thursday’s first leg in Viet Tri and added to its advantage in the eighth minute through Pham Tuan Hai, who lifted the ball home after Pham Xuan Manh’s free kick was allowed to bounce in the area by the Thai defence. Twenty minutes later the home side levelled when Doan Ngoc Tan gave possession away 25 yards from goal and Ben Davis bent a first-time strike around Nguyen Dinh Trieu into the bottom corner. The Vietnamese made their numerical superiority count soon after, substitute Nguyen Quang Hai feeding possession to Tuan Hai and his shot towards the bottom corner was redirected under goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai by the unfortunate Pansa.