* Vietnam’s fairytale Asian Cup run ends as Japan need VAR penalty to advance
Vietnam’s dream run at the continental showpiece officially ended after they suffered a 0-1 defeat, in a clash where the Samurai Blue had to resort to a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) penalty to score their solitary goal.
“We delivered a brilliant show against title favourites Japan today, and I am really convinced by the performance of my players,” Park told reporters shortly after the last eight match concluded on Thursday.
The Republic of Korea tactician expressed some regrets as the Golden Dragons could not manage a win despite their encouraging display.
“Actually, I am a little disappointed. I had hoped for a miracle, but it did not happen. I think a bright future is waiting for the Vietnamese team. It was a surprise that Vietnam qualified for the quarterfinals, and fans loved it. However, my players did not have enough time to make needed preparations. It’s a great pity”.
Park expressed his belief that, inspired by the national team’s Asian Cup success, the infrastructure facilities in service of Vietnamese youth football will be paid adequate attention and will be strongly improved in the time ahead.
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Vietnamese players (in red) cause a lot of difficulties for the Samurai Blue in their Asian Cup quarterfinal clash on Thursday.
Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu was delighted with the Samurai Blue’s quarterfinal victory; however, he also praised Vietnam’s performance during the match.
“We utilised our opportunities to score. It was amazing as Vietnam played well and patiently. At the end of the match, our opponents competed more strongly and it was a good experience for us. They made great efforts to score goals and performed brilliantly in some moments. We realised that Vietnam had a tight defensive line and knew that it was difficult to create clear-cut opportunities”.
“The Vietnamese squad is led by an excellent coach, and they have made really rapid progress,” the Japanese tactician stated.
Despite failing to advance to the semifinals, the Asian Cup campaign in the United Arab Emirates could be seen as an extremely impressive tournament for Park Hang-seo and his players. The Golden Stars played on par with the leading teams in Asia, and have become the pride of the whole nation.