Reached the Top After 6 Years at Southeast Asia's Largest Competition
Motorcycles Adorned with Geumseonghonggi Fill Major Roads
The Vietnamese national football team, led by coach Kim Sang-sik, sparked nationwide excitement as they claimed the top spot in Southeast Asia's largest football tournament. On the 5th (Korean time), local Vietnamese media such as VN Express reported that Vietnam defeated the Southeast Asian powerhouse Thailand to become the champions of the 2024 Mitsubishi Electric Cup, the biggest football festival in Southeast Asia.
According to a report by VN Express, those celebrating the victory each held, draped themselves in, and painted on their faces the Vietnamese national flag, the Golden Star Flag, featuring a golden star on a red background, as they poured out onto the streets, which were filled with a sea of red. Photo by EPA and Yonhap News.
On that day, Vietnam won 3-2 against Thailand in the second leg of the final held at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. Having won the first leg 2-1 at home in Vietnam’s Phu Tho Stadium on the 3rd, Vietnam secured the championship with an aggregate score of 5-3. From before the match started, countless Vietnamese citizens gathered in the downtown areas of major cities nationwide, including the capital Hanoi, the largest city Ho Chi Minh, and the central hub Da Nang, to cheer on the team in the streets. When the match ended in Vietnam’s victory and the championship was confirmed, even more people poured out into the streets, turning the celebrations into a massive street festival.
VN Express reported that as the back-and-forth match ended in Vietnam’s victory and the championship was secured, the crowds cheering in the streets swelled with countless more citizens joining in to hold a street festival. In particular, those celebrating the victory each held or draped themselves in the Vietnamese national flag, the Kim Seong Hong Gi, featuring a golden star on a red background, and painted it on their faces, filling most of the major streets with a sea of red. Even late at night, the main roads were packed with cars and motorcycles adorned with the Kim Seong Hong Gi, befitting Vietnam’s reputation as the 'country of motorcycles.'
Among these celebrations, around Hoan Kiem Lake, a major tourist spot in Hanoi, the crowd grew so large that the police temporarily blocked the roads. Traffic police, who have become known as 'grim reapers' to drivers due to traffic fines increasing by up to several tens of times since the New Year, were seen enjoying the moment with happy expressions, joining the enthusiastic citizens in celebrating the victory rather than enforcing traffic regulations on this day.
Last May, Coach Kim, who took the helm of Vietnam, raised his profile by winning the Mitsubishi Electric Cup in his first outing. With this victory, he has laid the groundwork to achieve a "long-term reign" like Coach Park, who led Vietnam for six years. AFP·Yonhap News
Coach Kim, who took the helm of Vietnam last May, raised his profile by winning the Mitsubishi Electric Cup in his first attempt. This victory has laid the groundwork for him to have a 'long-term reign' like coach Park, who led Vietnam for six years. On the other hand, Thailand, led by Japanese coach Ishii Masatada, failed in their attempt to win the tournament for the third consecutive time and their eighth overall championship.
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