Fans are counting the minutes until one of the most awaited Shopee Cup final. The first leg of what promises to be an enthralling encounter should be played out in front of a packed Hàng Đẫy stadium in Hanoi on Wednesday. As the first leg of a best-of-two final, both teams will be eager to take an early lead. This game represents a significant inflection point in the series.
This meeting marks a significant dynamic conflict between clubs from Vietnam and Thailand. Công An Hà Nội, the host nation’s strong showing. Among all of the intriguing first-round matchups, this one is most interesting because it’s a rematch — and it happened relatively recently. In that first round of fixtures back in August, Công An Hà Nội came out on top with a 2-1 win.
Buriram United have once again dominated the Thai League in impressive fashion. They booked their place in the final with a convincing 3-1 aggregate win against BG Pathum United, which came in the semifinals. The Thai team has some star power with Theerathon Bunmathan, Suphanat Mueanta, and Supachai Jaided. Now they’re making an enormous impact in the final minutiae!
Meanwhile, Công An Hà Nội, led by head coach Pölking, are hungry to keep up their good form. They sure are eager to pursue that first golden trophy! The team is headlined by star players such as Nguyễn Quang Hải, Phan Văn Đức, and Vũ Văn Thanh. FIFA Pölking is sure that his team goes play their best version. He added that the pitch at Hàng Đẫy Stadium was “perfect” for their quick passing style of play.
“We would really be overly happy to be the first one [to lift the trophy] because then you make history,” – Pölking.
The stakes couldn’t be higher for either team. They’re hell bent on winning back the once-coveted title that in recent years has ignited an ever more competitive and combative rivalry. Thailand and Vietnam have alternated victories in the ASEAN Championship, having won the last six titles between them since 2014. As it stands now, Vietnam has the bragging rights after winning 5-3 on aggregate against Thailand in last year’s ASEAN Championship.
Coach Pölking also spoke about the significance of winning this tournament for Công An Hà Nội, saying, “To put our name in the history of the tournament and, again, to put the name of Công An Hà Nội really at the highest spot of this region.”
Buriram United’s coach, Osmar Loss, prepares his club for an even tougher battle down the road. They’re going to be up against a very strong challenge from Vietnamese teams. The scope of this rivalry is further enhanced by the all-time success and futility each side has experienced against each other in conference play.
Pölking admitted the potential for Thai football in contrast to Vietnam’s V.League. He noted, “I can say that the Thai League is ahead of the V.League in many factors now, but I believe – in winning this game – we can at least show that we have a lot of quality here.”
With this much pressure on the opponents, expectations are understandably high for the first leg at Hàng Đẫy Stadium. Soccer enthusiasts from both nations eagerly look forward to seeing this historic matchup! It should be a feast of elite football. It’ll play a huge role in satisfying the competitive spirit that’s synonymous with Southeast Asian football.
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