Vietnam national team loses 0-2 to Thailand, ending unbeaten streak and dashed final hopes

The 0-2 defeat to regional rivals Thailand ended Vietnam national team's historic 27-match unbeaten streak and dashed their hopes of reaching the final. The match took place in Jakarta on September 29, 2026 at 19:00, part of the AFF Cup 2026 semifinal group stage. Despite starting the match competitively, Vietnam conceded early in the 10th minute due to a defensive error by Adou Minh, leading to Sarach Yooyen's long-range strike. The score remained 0-1 through halftime. After the break, head coach Kim Sang-sik made an aggressive tactical move by introducing five attacking players simultaneously: Hoang Duc, Williams Minh Hoang, Do Hoang Hen, Nguyen Hai Long, and Ngo Dang Khoa. However, this high-line approach backfired when Thailand capitalized on a counterattack in the 90th minute plus four additional minutes, with Chaiyaphon breaking the offside trap. Vietnam's potential equalizer in the 34th minute was ruled out by VAR for offside. The loss shifts Vietnam's objective from championship contender to securing second place and advancing to the third-place playoff against Indonesia or Malaysia. Vietnam's next fixture is against Pakistan on October 2 in Jakarta.