By Park Hye Ri, Kang Ji Su and Hahm Hee-eun

The Vietnamese men's national soccer team, led by head coach Park Hang-seo, has shown “magic” by not only winning second place in the 2018 AFC U-23 Championship in January, but also by making it to the semi-finals at the Asian Games this past week, a first in the history of Vietnamese football.

At the Asian Games 2018 Jakarta-Palembang, Vietnam was placed in Group D with Japan, Nepal and Pakistan. Vietnam defeated Japan, one of the strongest soccer teams in Asia, in the preliminary rounds and came out at the top of Group D.

Then in the quarterfinals against Syria, Nguyen Van Toan scored in extra time in the second half, giving Vietnam a dramatic victory after which all Vietnamese people burst out with joy.

For the very first time, Vietnam made it to the semifinals at the Asian Games, and naturally Vietnamese media lauded coach Park’s leadership and tactics.

A typical daily newspaper published by the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, Bao Lao Dong, said under the title “Thank you, Park Hang-seo!” on Aug. 27 that, “Coach Park Hang-seo and the U-23 soccer team made it to the semifinals at the Asian Games, a new page in the history of soccer in Vietnam. Above all, coach Park Hang-seo bestowed happiness and solidarity on the Vietnamese people.”

The Vietnamese People’s Daily also had the article “Fully-enjoying the joy of victory” on Aug. 28 in which it said that, "In the semi-finals of the Asian Games, Park not only played a role in the history of soccer, but also became the pride of Southeast Asian soccer.”



Despite their hopes and expectations, the semifinals match against Korea, led by head coach Kim Hak Bum, was not an easy opponent.

After seven minutes in the first half, Lee Seungwoo scored a left-foot goal and soon after that Hwang Ui Jo scored a goal before the first half ended. Another goal was scored in the second half. Tran Minh Vuoung scored a magnificent penalty goal that uplifted the Vietnamese fans, but the match ended 3-1.

Local media in Vietnam expressed their regrets about the result, but, nonetheless, did not hesitate to encourage coach Park Hang-seo and the U-23 Vietnamese men's squad.

The website Kenh14 said in an article titled “Don’t cry. You are the pride of Southeast Asia” that, “Although Vietnam was not able to grasp the opportunity for the final match, coach Park showed many meaningful moments to Vietnam and to the world.”


hrhr@korea.kr