Phnom Penh, January 6 (VNA) - After the national football team of Vietnam won their third ASEAN championship trophy following an impressive second-leg final victory against Thailand in Bangkok on January 5, major media outlets of Cambodia, such as Thmey Thmey, Koh Santepheap Daily, and FRESH News ran stories lauding Vietnam’s outstanding performance.
In a January 6 morning report titled Vietnam wins third ASEAN Cup in Thailand after six-year of waiting, FRESH News highlighted Vietnam’s return to regional dominance. The outlet noted that the team’s triumph thwarted Thailand’s bid for an eighth championship in the biennial Southeast Asian tournament.
During the January 5 final, Thailand initially led 2-1 but were reduced to 10 men following a second yellow card. Vietnam capitalised on their advantage, launching relentless attacks to secure a 3-2 victory after 15 minutes of added time, it said.
Meanwhile, Koh Santepheap Daily published a detailed account of the match in an article highlighting Vietnam’s 5-3 aggregate win, noting the significance of the victory as the team celebrated their first title triumph outside of home territory.
It emphasised the standout performance of naturalised Brazilian forward Nguyen Xuan Son, who earned the Golden Boot with seven goals and was named the tournament’s Best Player.
The oldest paper of Cambodia praised the jubilant celebrations across Vietnam, where millions of fans took to the streets in cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to revel in their team’s success.
The same day, Thmey Thmey reported Vietnam’s victory, placing the team third in the all-time ASEAN Cup championship standings, behind Thailand (7 titles) and Singapore (4 titles).
Cambodian social media users also followed the final closely, with many commenting on key moments, including Nguyen Xuan Son’s injury and a controversial goal by Thai midfielder Supachok Sarachat./.
