Hanoi: Thailand lost to Vietnam 2-4 on aggregate, finishing as runners-up in the ASEAN Championship. Anthony Hudson expressed pride in the unexpectedly good performance of several young players, despite the Thai national team losing to Vietnam 2-4 on aggregate and finishing as runners-up in the ASEAN Championship. The second leg of the ASEAN Hyundai Cup 2026 final saw seven-time champions Thailand travel to face three-time champions Vietnam at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi. Vietnam held the advantage after defeating Thailand 2-0 in the first leg.
According to Thai News Agency, in the first half, the Thai team played more offensively. In the 12th minute, a ball came from the right flank, Seksan Ratree couldn't control it, and the ball fell to Yosakorn Burapha, who struck it with his right foot to score, giving Thailand a 1-0 lead and bringing the aggregate score to 1-2. In the second half, in the 46th minute, Kakana Khamyok dribbled past the defenders before being fouled in the penalty area. He then took the penalty but the ball went over the crossbar, a regrettable miss.
Four minutes later, Vietnam equalized 1-1 when Do Huan Hen's shot hit the post, deflected off Chatchai Budprom's leg, and went into the net. The aggregate score was Vietnam 3-1 in their favor. In the final minutes of the game, in the 85th minute, Wanchai Jarunongkarn, who had just come on as a substitute, capitalized on a rebound and scored, giving Thailand a 2-1 lead and bringing the aggregate score to 2-3. In injury time, minute 90+4, Wanchai, who had just scored, kicked the ball into his own net, equalizing the score at 2-2. This final goal sealed a 4-2 aggregate victory for Vietnam over Thailand, securing their 4th championship title and their 2nd consecutive title.
After the game, Anthony Hudson, the head coach of the Thai national team, congratulated Vietnam and expressed pride in the Thai players. He stated that the team deserved the reward and that the team, especially the young players, demonstrated their potential by handling a high-pressure game and still performing excellently. Yesterday, Warrix held a cheering event for the Thai national team at Warrix Cafe Stadium One, allowing fans to gather and cheer on the team in front of a giant screen, led by "Uncle Ae Ball Thai." Everyone was disappointed that the Thai national team only finished as runners-up.