The 2024 ASEAN Championship and 26th Arabian Gulf Cup finals have finally found the new champions, and there are a lot of thoughts to take in the aftermath of these thrilling encounters, where champions were decided only in death.
Two-legged finals produced drama as Thailand failed to reshape history against determined Vietnam
The 2024 ASEAN Championship finals were a repeat of the 2022 finals, and Thailand was full of confidence that they would turn a new history page.
Overall, they were crowned the regional events seven times, the most of all teams. One thing that fuelled Thailand’s desire was the fact that no team had won three consecutive regional titles, and Thailand looked destined to change the outcome.
Both Thailand and Vietnam were the original participants in the final round of the World Cup qualifiers, before Indonesia’s emblematic rise – something the Socceroos surely remember well, and how much hardship the Aussies endured for them.
But the Vietnamese were no longer the same. In the first leg final on 2 January, Rafaelson, now known by common Vietnamese as Nguyễn Xuân Son, struck twice to end Vietnam’s winless drought at home to Thailand in 27 years as the hosts overpowered the War Elephants 2-1 in Việt Trì.
The Brazilian was clearly the best player in the game and for the entire Golden Dragons in general, and that was something the Thais acknowledged after failing to contain him.
The second leg final, played three days later in Bangkok, was a far more thrilling one. Having learnt bitter lessons from earlier defeats, Masatada Ishii’s side decided to contain the Brazilian more virulently to curb Vietnam’s creativity.
But when the game was still in the early minutes, poor defending by the War Elephants allowed Phạm Tuấn Hải to extend Vietnam’s lead to 3-1 with a beautiful lob in the eighth minute. It wasn’t to last when England-born Ben Davis struck a beautiful long-range shot to equalise for War Elephants.
Raucous home fans enabled persistent pressure for the War Elephants, but it took nearly a quarter before Supachok Sarachat, one of Thailand’s brightest football prospects and a 2023 Asian Cup veteran, restored parity in yet an equally beautiful thunder shot.
However, the red card issued to Weerathep Pomphan ten minutes after the equaliser was catastrophic; the Vietnamese capitalised well to punish Thailand, with an own goal by Pansa Hemviboon in the 82nd minute.
A failed corner kick from the hosts in the final minute of injury time resulted in Nguyễn Hai Long snatching home from the middle of the field, ensuring Vietnam’s dramatic triumph as the Golden Dragons were officially crowned for the third time in their history.
Much could be forgiven for the Thais given their determination. Despite being reduced to ten men, they were still the better team for the most part.
However, they could not get the job done as their hope to be crowned three consecutive ASEAN Championships went to smoke. But the Vietnamese were equally resilient as well, and their triumph was deserved.
Own goal making a dramatic end as Bahrain crowned champions of the Gulf against Oman
One day before the ASEAN Championship second leg final, the final of another regional event, the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup, was also held.
With more than 57,000 spectators filling the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City, the battle was the showdown between Oman and Bahrain, two teams currently having subpar WCQ to worry about.
But when talking about drama, it was equal. Bahrain quickly applied relentless pressure against Oman in the first minutes, as Rashid Jaber’s side struggled to adjust.
But when Bahrain was in the dominant position, they were stunned by a coordinated corner kick in the 17th minute, where Abdulrahman Al-Mushaifri headed home to the bottom corner to give Oman the prestigious lead, sending Omani supporters to widespread celebration and euphoria.
For a while, it seemed like Oman was destined to become the champions of the Gulf for the third time, and Omanis were enjoying it with loud cheers.
Rashid Jaber Al-Yafai, the manager whose coaching credibility with the national team in question, had defied all expectations with his calm, yet resilient charisma and ability to overcome hardship. Jaber won the AFC Cup with Al-Seeb in 2022, and there was a sense of ease and trust toward him.
But as Oman appeared to be on track, error was exposed. A poor defending effort by Thani Al-Rushadi saw Mohamed Marhoon overcome, forcing Jameel Al-Yahmadi to foul Marhoon on the box in the 77th minute.
The referee gave the penalty with no hesitation, which Marhoon would himself convert from the box to level the score.
Two minutes later, again Marhoon made his mark with his powerful sprint, before delivering a tricky pass that surprised Oman’s captain Mohammed Al-Musalami, who inadvertently scored an own goal to give Bahrain the 2-1 lead. A result Bahrain would successfully hold for the remainder of the match.
Like Thailand’s painful loss to Vietnam in the ASEAN Championship, Oman would feel like a missed opportunity.
They had just beaten the strong Saudi Arabian side that included star players like Marwan Al-Sahafi, Salem Al-Dawsari and Mohammed Al-Owais.
They should have been crowned for the third time, but Bahrain were the better team in the end when they capitalised on their opportunities at death.
Japanese and Korean managers’ domination in Southeast Asia presents a major challenge for Australia
In the final of the 2024 ASEAN Championship, Thailand and Vietnam were both led by Masatada Ishii and Kim Sang-sik, representing two major Asian football titans Japan and South Korea.
While Thailand and Vietnam had long been viewed as Southeast Asia’s flagbearers, the arrival of Japanese and Korean managers to Southeast Asia was a massive shift in the region.
Though there had been Japanese and Korean coaches trying their luck in Southeast Asia before, the impact of Park Hang-seo, the former Vietnam coach, had been astonishing.
It was Guus Hiddink’s former assistant who sparked a new wave, where Southeast Asian teams could see their potential under the tutelage of fellow Asian coaches.
Right in this championship alone, six out of ten teams employed managers from Japan and South Korea. Even Indonesia’s current coach, Shin Tae-yong, who was Kim Sang-sik’s teammate in Seongnam, is from South Korea.
The impacts of Asian managers represent a unique and significantly challenging task for Australia. In the previous WCQ, the Socceroos faced a Southeast Asian representative led by a Korean and had been forced to work hard despite winning both games.
This time around, things have become difficult because of the goalless draw away. If the Socceroos still approach Southeast Asia with a wait-and-see strategy like this, it will likely lead to future disaster.
Therefore, facilitating integration into the ASEAN Football Federation, including participating frequently in the ASEAN Championship, can’t be neglected any longer.
Around the same time, Australia’s struggling coaching quality can also be challenging, especially in the face of ever-expanding Japanese and Korean waves.
Forget about Ange, the only Aussie manager to become the coach of an ASEAN representative is Peter Cklamovski, who had assumed the role as Malaysia’s coach on New Year’s Eve.
If Cklamovski can’t find the formula for the stagnating Malaysian side, the trouble will become bigger for Australian football when their 2027 Asian Cup qualifying group include Vietnam, the defending champions of the ASEAN Championship.
The thin red line within the 2026 WCQ for Australia
Around the same time, the issue related to 2026 WCQ is still underway, with Australia second only by the thinnest margin and Japan roaming closer to North America with clear superiority.
Unsurprisingly the ASEAN Championship and the Gulf Cup offered glimpses to understand the opponents, while a total inquiry has to be done to understand why the Socceroos are so poor in the qualification.
Bahrain had conquered the Gulf Cup for the second time, a clear message sent by Dragan Talajić’s side that they wouldn’t give up the fight till the end. The inability to beat Bahrain twice by the Socceroos appeared to have clearly emboldened the Dilmun Warriors to believe in their credibility.
But Bahrain has also proven highly unstable, with the shock home loss to China earlier still lingering on Bahraini minds.
If the Gulf champions end up failing to live up to their potential, the win against Australia on the Gold Coast can be seen as thrown out of the window. That past horror was already seen back in the 2022 WCQ after the defeat to Iran ended Bahrain’s run.
Tony Popovic. (AAP Image/Gary Day)
Meanwhile, Talajić’s Croatian compatriot Branko Ivanković, current China coach, is also having his plan in mind.
Having successfully convinced the Chinese Football Association (CFA) to begin the new Super League season in late February instead of March, Ivanković has also assembled a provisional squad for January training. This is to keep players fit enough before the March calendar, where China will have crucial matches against Saudi Arabia and the Socceroos.
The Aussies might thank Ivanković for terminating Bahrain’s momentum as his China humbled the Dilmun Warriors away but don’t expect similar gratitude when China are also fighting for a World Cup place as well.
Saudi Arabia is clearly in crisis, despite Hervé Renard’s best efforts to revitalise the team. Renard’s 2.0 tenure didn’t go as expected, with the Green Falcons dealt a chastening blow by Shin Tae-yong’s Indonesia away, while their Gulf Cup campaign suffered a disastrous ending in the semis, worsening the Falcons’ woes.
Contradictory messages and widespread pressure amidst high expectations, partly due to how Saudis deified him for his achievement in Qatar, mean the Frenchman must prove that he could stage a comeback.
Yet past issues related to Renard’s inability to sustain earlier successes are now haunting him: failures with Zambia, Morocco and France women’s still vivid; and Saudi Arabia may be next.
Indonesia resembles somewhat to Bahrain, they are hot and cold on multiple occasions. But unlike Bahrain with two Gulf Cup titles, Indonesia has never won the ASEAN Championship.
Moreover, after the win against Saudi Arabia, expectations are running high and many Indonesians are now fantasising about their future World Cup participation, their first under the new name. Yet Indonesians have a tendency to be overconfident and arrogant, usually without control, and this promises to backfire when emotions run high.
The Socceroos will now need to navigate the tricky group and find solutions as soon as possible.
Tony Popovic’s coaching credibility leaves more questions than answers after his dubious set-up in November squandered Australia’s six points – and if Popa still fails to come to his senses, probably he should resign in March rather than June.
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