Vietnam coach thanks the fans after 3-1 victory against China

[ASEAN NOW News]

Coach Park Hang-seo instructs players from the sideline in the World Cup qualifiers between Vietnam and China on February 1, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Lam Thoa

 

Coach Park Hang-seo wants to thank the fans for supporting Vietnam in their 3-1 victory over China in World Cup qualifiers Tuesday night.

 

"This is our first time winning against China and the first time that a Southeast Asian team claimed a win in the final round of World Cup qualifiers," Park said in the post-match conference on Tuesday.

 

"I want to thank the fans for always supporting the team."

 

VN Express reported that it took 60 years for Vietnam to get to the final round of World Cup qualifiers, so immediate success is impossible, he said.

 

"The players have given their best but asking them to win all the games is too greedy. We should evaluate based on their effort, not by victory and don’t criticize them when they don’t win," Park said.

 

Vietnam put on an excellent performance in the game with China. In the ninth minute, captain Do Hung Dung made a pinpoint cross for Ho Tan Tai to head it in for Vietnam.

 

Seven minutes later, Vietnam got another one. This time, Dung set up Nguyen Tien Linh with a pass inside the box and all he had to do is tapping it in.

 

Vietnam netted another goal in the 76th minute with a cracker from Phan Van Duc. China could only find a goal in the very last minute and lost 1-3.

 

Vietnam’s win against China is a landmark in the history of Southeast Asian football. This is the first time ever that a Southeast Asian team win a game in the final round of World Cup qualifiers.

 

In World Cup 2018 qualifiers, Thailand also reached the final round, but they could only earn two draws.

 

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