Hanoi: Vietnam and Indonesia will meet for the second time in four days on Monday when they face off in the second leg of the AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup 2022 semi-finals with a ticket to the main event up for grabs.
A scoreless draw in the first leg in Jakarta on Friday leaves the tie firmly in the balance ahead of the return meeting at My Dinh National Stadium, where Vietnam will be aiming for the win that will see them return to the final for the fourth time.
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The Golden Star Warriors are yet to concede, having kept five successive clean sheets and, while away goals do count in the event of a score draw, head coach Park Hang-seo - who departs his role at the end of the competition - is thinking only of the win.
"Tomorrow's match is critical to me because my contract ends after this tournament, so if we lose, it will end immediately. If we win, I will have two more games with the team. We're preparing our best and will try to win."
Up against fellow Korean tactician Shin Tae-yong, meanwhile, Park was in no mood for pleasantries when told his opposite number felt Indonesia were the equal of the two-time champions.
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- AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup (@affmecup) January 6, 2023
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"I think he should prove it with the result. I don't normally judge other teams, I prefer to prove my team with results. I do think Indonesia are getting better though.
"If I lose, I'll take it and agree with him. But if I win, stop saying things like that."
Indonesia have a strong record against Vietnam, having only once lost against the Golden Star Warriors in the AFF Championship, and that coming back in the third-place playoff off the inaugural edition in 1996.
They had the better of the first-leg chances, with Marselino Ferdinan and Yakob Sayuri both denied by excellent saves from goalkeeper Dang Van Lam, someone they will have to find a way past if the Indonesians are to make the final.
"The players are really focussed for this match and we're going to play to win, so I think it will be a good game," said head coach Shin.
"Vietnam are very organised and strong defensively, but while we missed some great opportunities in the first leg, we also made some great chances."
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