Vietnam ready to defeat any opponent in semifinals: coach Park

“The players have tried their best and I appreciated them for that. But from now on, the team will have to improve to play the next two matches. We are only one match away from the final. We will give our best and focus fully for the semifinals,” Park said after Vietnam win 2-0 against Timor Leste in the last game of group A on Sunday.

This win got Vietnam 10 points after four games and put them on top of group A. On Monday, the opponent of Vietnam in the semifinals will be revealed and they will face either Thailand or Malaysia.

“I have only watched their games on video and I’ll need more time to analyze the collected data. Nonetheless, the team will have the best preparation to face any team next. No matter the opponent, we will still play with the spirit of a brave warrior, ready to fight and win,” he said.

For Timor Leste coach Fabio Magrao, he wished Vietnam success on qualifying for the 2026 or 2030 World Cup. But coach Park said it’s too soon to talk about four or eight years later and to achieve the World Cup dream, Vietnamese football need vision, strategy, specific system and targets.

“We need to act, not just talk. We need to do it right now with preparation and investment. For example, in four or eighth years, players who have been invested must achieve something, because in football, inheritance is decisive to success,” Park added.