Soccer-Vietnam seal fourth ASEAN crown with 4-2 aggregate win over Thailand

Vietnam retained the ASEAN Championship ​after they twice came from behind to ​draw 2-2 with Thailand in ‌Hanoi on ​Wednesday to secure a 4-2 aggregate win in the final.

Own goals by goalkeeper Chatchai Bootprom and Wanchai Jarunongkran plus a missed ‌penalty by Kakana Khamyok undermined Thailand's hopes of overturning a 2-0 first-leg deficit despite strikes by Yotsakon Burapha and Wanchai. "It's something amazing," Vietnam's Brazil-born winger Do Hoang Hen, also known as Hendrio, ‌said of the win. "I waited for this moment a long time. It's a pleasure. ‌I feel so proud.

"We did a very good job. I worked so hard to be here and I'm very happy I can help the team to get this cup here in Vietnam in Hanoi." The Thais struck first ⁠at My ​Dinh National Stadium when ⁠Yotsakon thumped a low strike past Patrik Le Giang, beating the Vietnam goalkeeper to his right.

Thailand squandered the ⁠opportunity to level the scores on aggregate four minutes into the second half when Kakana fired his penalty ​over the bar moments after being brought down in the area. That miss proved pivotal ⁠as Vietnam scored in the 52nd minute.

Chatchai was the unsuspecting villain, the ball hitting the Thailand goalkeeper on the ⁠heel ​and crossing the line after Hoang Hen's first-time strike had clipped the base of the post and rolled along the goal-line. Thailand gave themselves a glimmer of hope with six ⁠minutes remaining as Wanchai shot across Patrik and into the far corner.

But the chances of Anthony ⁠Hudson's side taking ⁠the game into extra time were extinguished deep into stoppage time when Wanchai thumped the ball into his own net, sealing Vietnam's fourth title ‌win in ‌the biennial competition's 30-year history.