Bangkok: Vietnam emerged as the champions of ASEAN Mitsubishi Electric Cup™ 2024 after defeating Thailand 5-3 on aggregate after an eventful and tightly contested second leg of the final at a packed Rajamangala Stadium on Sunday.
In his first start of the tournament, Pham Tuan Hai opened the scoring eight minutes in and forced an own goal out of Pansa Hemviboon in the second half before Nguyen Hai Long sealed the 3-2 victory in the 20th minute of second-half stoppage time for the Golden Star Warriors to add to their 2008 and 2018 triumphs.
Looking to overturn a 2-1 deficit from the first leg, Thailand scored through Benjamin Davis and Supachok Sarachat and were close to forcing extra time through Suphanan Bureerat, who hit the woodwork in the 90th minute, but fell short of securing their third consecutive and eighth overall ASEAN Championship title.
Masatada Ishii made six changes to the Thailand side that came up short in the first leg as captain Peeradol Chamrasamee, Supachok, Suphanat Mueanta, Jonathan Khemdee, Thitathorn Auksornsri and Weerathep Pomphun all returned to the starting 11.
Vietnam head coach Kim Sang-sik, meanwhile, made just one alteration to his side as midfielder Bui Vi Hao made way for Tuan Hai, who did not have the best of starts to the second leg after being cautioned for a sliding tackle on Khemdee inside four minutes.
But Tuan Hai would make the Vietnam boss punch the air in celebration only four minutes later as he increased the Golden Star Warriors’ advantage in the two-legged title clash.
Pham Xuan Manh floated a free-kick from his own half into the box which Khemdee failed to clear while battling with Nguyen Xuan Son, allowing Tuan Hai to get in behind the defence and chip the ball over the advancing Thai goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai to make it 3-1 on aggregate.
The visitors did well to keep the Thais quiet for 20 minutes until Doan Ngoc Tan gave away possession cheaply in the defensive third and Davis struck it first time from 30 yards out to level the score on the night. The 24-year-old’s smart curling finish into the bottom corner was Thailand’s first shot of the game.
Vietnam suffered another blow soon after as Xuan Son, the tournament’s Most Valuable Player and top scorer with seven goals, had to be carried away on a stretcher after sustaining an injury, with Nguyen Tien Linh replacing him in the 34th minute.
Thailand did not find much more joy in attack as Suphanat's shot on the turn in the 40th minute the only other time they troubled Vietnam custodian Nguyen Dinh Trieu in the first half as they trailed the visitors by a goal at the half-time interval.
Patrik Gustavsson failed to keep his header down after being found inside the box by Davis seven minutes after the restart while Suphanat missed with the goal gaping after another of Davis’ deliveries caused problems for the Vietnamese defence in the 56th minute.
Thailand then levelled the tie at 3-3 in the 64th minute under unusual circumstances as Vietnam's defence switched off, expecting the Thais to return the ball to them after Dinh Trieu had kicked the ball out of play because of an injury to Nguyen Hoang Duc.
But on restart, Davis passed to Supachok, who had plenty of space in front of him to let fly a brilliant strike from 30 yards which nestled in the back of the net after beating the outstretched arms of Dinh Trieu and sent the supporters at Rajamangala Stadium into raptures.
The Thais, however, were reduced to 10 men after defensive midfielder Weerathep saw his second yellow card of the night for a foul on Nguyen Quang Hai in the 74th minute and eight minutes later, Vietnam restored their one-goal aggregate advantage.
Tuan Hai was instrumental in their second goal too, as Quang Hai found the attacker in space inside the box and the 26-year-old tried to slot the ball into the corner with his right foot, only for Thai centre-back Pansa to divert the shot into his own goal.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, seven-time winners Thailand continued probing for a goal that would take the tie to extra time and came agonisingly close to one when Suphanan rattled the woodwork in the 90th minute.
The War Elephants had two more chances to equalise through Seksan Ratree in the stoppage time, but it was Vietnam who bagged the winner and put the result beyond doubt at the end of a counter-attack in the 110th minute.
With goalkeeper Patiwat stranded after going up to attack a Thai corner, Hai Long had an open goal to aim at from the halfway line and calmly rolled the ball into the goal to seal the 5-3 aggregate victory for Vietnam in the 2024 final.
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