Thailand lost in the first leg, so they will come out strong, play offensively, and put pressure on the Vietnam team, said coach Kim sang-sik. He added: “However, we do not feel pressured by this and have prepared well during training. Hopefully, the team will perform well”.
Kim also affirmed that although there will not be many Vietnamese fans and pressure from the home crowd will be significant during the second leg of the final, the team has prepared thoroughly. in terms of spirit and strength.
“We have many options for the match and have come to Thailand to defeat them and claim the championship”, he said.
Also attending the press conference, midfielder Chau Ngoc Quang expressed his determination to fight with all our might until the very last minute.
Before the final match on the evening of January 5, the Thailand team had to cancel one of their training sessions to allow more time for recovery. This indicates that the host team's players are facing significant physical challenges.
Siam Sports, Thailand's leading sports publication, analyzed that Vietnam's chances of victory were higher even before the first-leg final took place. The Thai newspaper Daily News also highlighted Nguyen Xuan Son as the player likely to cause sleepless nights for centre-back Chalermsak Aukkee, who had previously vowed to shut down Vietnam's naturalised striker.
★ To prepare for the match at Rajamangala Stadium, coach Masatada Ishii shared with the press that they conducted an analysis after the first leg. The players failed to contain Nguyen Xuan Son, and those starting tomorrow will need to work hard to rectify those mistakes. He thought that the match could go to penalties, so his players are preparing thoroughly for that scenario.
Meanwhile, the Thai players also showed their determination to win and defend their championship title. According to midfielder Supachok Sarachat, they gained experience from the match against the Philippines, and now Vietnam. It's a challenge we must overcome. Thailand's captain, Peeradol Chamratsamee, stated: "My teammates and I are recovering physically and are ready for the match. The entire team is not satisfied with the result from the first leg and we all want to give our best to repay the support of our fans".
