3 hours ago
3
South Korean sports media is buzzing following the 2027 Asian Cup draw, with major outlets highlighting Kim Sang-sik's clash against his home country as the national head coach of Vietnam.
 |
|
Coach Kim Sang-sik (front) greets fans after Vietnam's 1-0 victory over Saudi Arabia in the 2026 U23 Asian Cup, at the Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Stadium in Jeddah on Jan. 12, 2026. Photo by AFC |
The upcoming Group E fixture will mark the first time Vietnam and South Korea have ever met in the Asian Cup.
Adding to the hype, Kim will face his former senior national teammate and current South Korea head coach, Hong Myung-bo.
Following the draw on May 10, South Korean broadcaster SBS wrote: "Both coaches still have contracts with their respective teams until the end of the 2027 Asian Cup. Unless something unexpected happens, another clash between Korean coaches will take place."
Newspaper Cheonji Daily used a more dramatic tone, describing the encounter as two Korean coaches face off on "a narrow bridge."
The official website of the Korea Football Association (KFA) said among the three opponents in Group E, Vietnam "attract the most attention". History heavily favors South Korea, who boast six wins and one draw against Vietnam, scoring 23 goals and conceding only twice. Their most recent clash saw South Korea dismantle Vietnam 6-0 in an October 2023 friendly on home soil.
"However, Vietnam are currently on a 17-match unbeaten streak," KFA noted. "They can become unpredictable under the lead of a South Korean coach."
South Korean fans still remember their frustrating 3-3 draw against Malaysia in the 2023 Asian Cup group stage. At that time, Malaysia were led by another South Korean coach, Kim Pan-gon.
South Korea have also struggled against Vietnam's youth teams led by their compatriots. They were held to a 1-1 draw by Gong Oh-kyun's Vietnam in the 2022 U23 Asian Cup group stage. More recently, in the third-place playoff of the 2026 U23 Asian Cup, Kim Sang-sik's squad secured a dramatic 7-6 penalty shootout victory over South Korea following a 2-2 draw.
 |
|
Vietnam (in red) drew 2-2 against South Korea, then won 7-6 on penalties to claim the bronze medal at the 2026 U23 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia in January 2026. Photo by AFC |
According to Osen, the match is special to Kim. He is a famous figure in his homeland, having won nine K League 1 titles as a Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors legend and represented the national team at the World Cup and Asian Cup.
The game against South Korea will not only reunite Kim with his senior, Hong, but also with his former student, Bayern Munich star Kim Min-jae.
"The match between Vietnam and South Korea could be symbolic and go far beyond a simple game," Osen wrote. "Past results favor South Korea, but currently, Vietnam have improved under Kim."
Vietnam will face South Korea in their second Group E match on Jan. 15, 2027. They will open their campaign against the UAE five days prior. Their final group match on Jan. 20 will be against either Lebanon or Yemen, depending on the outcome of the playoff on June 4.
In previous Asian Cup appearances, Vietnam have primarily faced Middle Eastern and East Asian powerhouses, including Japan, Iraq and Iran. Across 12 tournament matches, they have managed three wins, one draw and eight losses. Their best finishes came in 2007 and 2019, when they reached the quarterfinals.
South Korea hold the record for the most Asian Cup appearances with 16, advancing past the group stage 14 times. However, the two-time champions have suffered a historic 66-year title drought since winning the first two editions in 1956 and 1960.
South Korean media are heavily backing the team to finally end this drought this time, in what is expected to be the final continental tournament for national superstar Son Heung-min.
