“Everyone could see how impactful Xuan Son was in this match. Thailand made some mistakes, and he capitalized on them to score,” Ishii said after the match at Viet Tri Stadium on January 2.

He added, “Xuan Son is what sets Vietnam apart from the friendly we played in September at My Dinh. Back then, we won because they didn’t have him. Now, it’s a different story.”

Ishii dismissed comparisons between this loss and Thailand’s 2-1 defeat to the Philippines in the semifinal first leg.

“These were completely different matches. Against the Philippines, we conceded in the final minutes. Today, we managed to score a goal to reduce the deficit,” he noted.

This marked Thailand’s first defeat to Vietnam in 27 years at the ASEAN Cup, the last occurring during the 1998 Tiger Cup. However, Ishii brushed aside the historical significance.

“I don’t focus too much on statistics or the fact that we lost at Viet Tri. My priority is improving the team and preparing for the second leg at home,” he emphasized.

Xuan Son was instrumental in Vietnam’s win, scoring twice to give his team an advantage heading into the decisive return leg in Bangkok. His performance highlighted his ability to turn the tide in crucial matches, a quality that left a strong impression on both fans and opponents.

Dai Nam