Thailand lost to Vietnam due to defensive mistakes toward naturalized striker: head coach

"Nguyen Xuan Son is a very talented striker, but he wouldn't have scored today if my players hadn't made some critical defensive mistakes," Ishii said at the post-match press conference at Viet Tri Stadium on Thursday night.

Despite having less recovery time after their semifinals and playing away, Thailand began the match with excitement and at times controlled the game during the first half. However, their lack of physical endurance became evident in the second half, leaving them vulnerable to Vietnam's fast and powerful attacks.

Thailand's defense struggled to contain Vietnam's plays from the right flank. In the 59th minute, Son capitalized on a well-placed pass, heading the ball past goalkeeper Patiwat Khammai to open the scoring. The defensive woes continued in the 73rd minute when Chalermsak Aukkee lost possession to Son in midfield. Despite pulling Son's shirt, Aukkee could not stop the striker, who dribbled past center-back Pansa Hemviboon and unleashed a left-footed strike into the far corner, doubling Vietnam's lead.

Thailand improved after tactical adjustments, including putting on striker Suphanat Mueanta, who provided a crucial assist from the left wing, allowing Aukkee to redeem himself with a header past goalkeeper Nguyen Dinh Trieu to reduce the deficit.

In the semifinals, Thailand overcame a similar situation after losing 1-2 to the Philippines in the first leg but secured a 3-1 comeback win in the return leg at Rajamangala Stadium. While coach Ishii did not mention a similar comeback in the final, he voiced frustration over his team's errors.

"Six days ago, we were close to a draw before conceding in the final minutes. This time, we allowed the opponent to create too many opportunities and trailed behind by two goals," Ishii said.

In the most recent encounter, a friendly match at My Dinh Stadium in September 2024, Thailand beat Vietnam 2-1 thanks to goals from Mueanta and Patrik Gustavsson after Nguyen Tien Linh opened the scoring.

Coach Ishii said that Thailand still played well as they did four months ago, but lost this time because of Xuan Son, a Brazilian-born striker who adopted Vietnamese citizenship in September.

"Four months ago, Vietnam didn't have this striker. He was the clear difference today," Ishii added.

The loss marked Thailand's first defeat in Vietnam in 27 years, since a 0-3 semifinal loss in the 1998 Tiger Cup (now ASEAN Cup). However, Ishii dismissed this milestone.

"Football is about looking ahead. Our focus now is on preparing for the second leg in three days," he said.

Thailand will host Vietnam in the second leg at Rajamangala Stadium, Bangkok on Sunday, where they'll aim to overturn the deficit and defend their ASEAN Cup title with the support of home fans, as 47,000 tickets were sold out after two hours on Thursday.