Vietnam"s achievements in AFF Championships A lookback
The Vietnamese national team are in a campaign of seeking the first title at the Southeast Asian championship/AFF Cup, formerly known as the Tiger Cup…
Tiger Cup 1996 (Singapore)
One year prior to the first Tiger Cup (Tiger Cup 1996), Vietnamese football produced a good landmark, winning a silver medal at the 1995 SEA Games in Chiangmai, Thailand. A new generation of talented players was discovered by German coach K. Weigang and they entered the first Tiger Cup with a new position.
In the group stage, Vietnam were in Group A PRIVATE and they made a good start with a 3-1 victory over Cambodia. However, they were surprisingly held to a 1-1 draw with Laos in the second match. The German coach was angry and said he wanted to send home some players, who failed to produce their best form. The team went through to the semi-finals with a 4-1 victory over Myanmar and a 1-1 draw with Indonesia.
In the semi-finals, Vietnam lost 4-2 to Thailand, failing to avenge their 4-0 defeat at the 1995 SEA Games. Vo Hoang Buu and Nguyen Hong Son were scorers for Vietnam, which Kiatisuk Senamuang, Natipong Sritong-in and Worawoot Srimaka were named on the scoresheet for Thailand. Failing to reach the final, Vietnam replayed Indonesia in the third-placed play-off. Goals by Huynh Quoc Cuong and Vo Hoang Buu plus an owned goal by Yeyen Tumena helped Vietnam won 3-2.
Tiger Cup 1998 (Vietnam)
As the hosts, Vietnam started the second Tiger Cup as top favourites for the title as defending champions Thailand failed to line up their best squad for the tournament. They had no services of Kiatisuk Senamuang, Tawan Sripan and Natipong Sritong-in, who caused a lot of troubles to the Vietnamese defenders at the 1995 SEA Games and the 1996 Tiger Cup.
In fact, the Vietnamese side coached by Alfred Riedl, produced a good start with a 4-1 victory over Laos in Hanoi with goals by Nguyen Hong Son, Nguyen Van Sy and Le Huynh Duc.
However, they were held to a 0-0 draw by Singapore under heavy rains, in which wet pitch prevented Vietnamese strikers from scoring.
Nguyen Hong Son”s winner in the match against Malaysia sent the hosts through to the semi-finals.
Playing bitter rivals Thailand, the Vietnamese team, with their best players, made a historical victory of 3-0 over the Thais. Truong Viet Hoang, Nguyen Hong Son and Van Sy Hung were scorers for the Vietnamese side.
However, the Vietnamese side missed a good opportunity to lift the title as they lost 1-0 to Singapore in the final in Hanoi. Towering defender Sasi Kumar beat goalkeeper Tran Tien Anh in the air as the ball deflected his back and found the empty net.
Tiger Cup 2000 (Thailand)
After missing a good opportunity at home, the Vietnamese side, coached by Alfred Riedl, started the tournament with the match against Malaysia, in which they drew 0-0.
Being held in the first game, Mr Riedl”s men produced three wins in a row to top Group B. They won 6-0 over Cambodia with goals by Le Huynh Duc, Nguyen Hong Son and Vu Cong Tuyen, plus an owned goal by Soun Dara.
Le Huynh Duc winner helped Vietnam make a revenge to Singapore with a 1-0 victory, while Van Sy Thuy, Vu Cong Tuyen, Nguyen Van Sy, Vu Minh Hieu and Pham Hung Dung helped Vietnam beat Laos 6-0.
However, the Vietnamese side failed to make the final as they lost 3-2 in the semi-finals to Indonesia.
Gendut Christiawan opened the scoring in the 39th minute and Nguyen Hong Son levelled the score just before half-time. Uston Nawawi restored a one goal lead for Indonesia in the 76th minute and Nguyen Duc Thang restored Vietnam”s hope in the stoppage time. However, Christiawan scored a winner in the 120th minute.
Discouraged by the defeat, the Vietnamese side lost 3-0 to Malaysia in a third-placed play-off.
Tiger Cup 2002 (Singapore and Indonesia)
The Vietnamese team was coached by Henrique Calisto, who is now technical director of the Vietnamese champions Dong Tam Long An.
Mr Calisto introduced new players Tran Truong Giang, Phan Van Tai Em, Trinh Xuan Thanh, Pham Van Quyen and veteran striker Huynh Hong Son.
The players made a significant contribution to a 9-2 victory over Cambodia and a 4-1 victory over the Philippines.
The Vietnamese team then drew 2-2 with the Indonesian hosts in their third game. Budi Sudarsono opened the scoring. Phan Van Tai Em and Le Huynh Duc helped coach Calisto”s side took a 2-1 lead before Zaenal Arif helped the hosts regain a point in the 83rd minute.
In their final game against Myanmar, despite playing with ten men from the 57 minutes, with Xuan Thanh, who levelled the score, was sent off, the Vietnamese team won 4-2. Two other Vietnamese strikers include Dang Phuong Nam and Le Huynh Duc.
Despite going top of the group, Vietnam played Thailand in the semi-finals, who finished runners-up to Malaysia. The rampant Thais outplayed Vietnam, winning 4-0 to go through to the final.
Vietnam had to compete in a third-placed play-off against Malaysia, who lost 1-0 to Indonesia. Two goals by Tran Truong Giang and Nguyen Minh Phuong helped Vietnam beat Malaysia 2-1, making a revenge for a 3-0 defeat in the corresponding fixture of the 2000 Tiger Cup.
Tiger Cup 2004 (Vietnam and Malaysia)
The Vietnamese hosts welcomed back their first foreign coach, Edson Tavares, who replaced Mr Riedl after the Vietnamese team finished runners-up at the 22nd SEA Games in 2003. They played two first games in Ho Chi Minh City.
Vietnam drew 1-1 with Singapore in their opening game. Thach Bao Khanh headed home the opener but Indra Sahdan Daud cancelled out Bao Khanh”s attempt.
On the second match day, Vietnam trounced Cambodia 9-1 with a hat-trick of young striker Le Cong Vinh.
However, a 3-0 shameful defeat to Indonesia right in Hanoi, shut the door to the semi-finals of Vietnam.
Coach Edson Tavares stepped down after the defeat and his assistant Tran Van Khanh took over the team.
A 3-0 victory over Laos with goals by Le Cong Vinh, Nguyen Minh Phuong and Thach Bao Khanh was just face-saving.
The tournament also saw top favourites Thailand went out the group stage.
Nhan dan
