Laos captain praises Vietnam as 'strongest team in Southeast Asia' ahead of ASEAN Cup clash

Laos captain Bounphachan Bounkong during training on Dec. 6, 2024. Photo by LFF

"Vietnam are the strongest team in Southeast Asia," Bounphachan told VnExpress after the training session on Dec. 7. "They are a big challenge for us in the opening game."

Facing a stronger opponent, the 24-year-old striker noted that the team have prepared thoroughly for the match, as the players selected for the national team are the best possible at the moment and hope to create a surprise at the 2024 ASEAN Cup.

Bounphachan also added that their 1-1 draw with Thailand in the friendly in November gave the team a boost in motivation and confidence.

"We want to deliver the best performance and meet the expectations," he said.

Bounphachan revealed that he has carefully studied the Vietnamese players and was particularly impressed by the naturalized Brazilian striker Rafaelson, whose Vietnamese name is Nguyen Xuan Son.

"I watched Son play in the AFC Champions League Two and read about him in the news," Bounphachan added. "He's tall, big and a great finisher."

Bounphachan felt fortunate that Son will not be available for Vietnam's match against Laos on Monday. According to FIFA regulations, the 27-year-old striker can only play after Dec. 20, after he has completed five continuous years of residency in Vietnam.

If given the opportunity, Bounphachan wishes Laos could have players like Son to compete at the regional games and help raise the level of their football scene. However, he acknowledged that it is not easy for Laos to recruit naturalized players. The team used to have French-born striker Billy Ketkeophomphone, who played in Ligue 1, but he only joined the Laos national team at 31, nearing the end of his career.

Both Ketkeophomphone and "Lao Messi" Soukaphone Vongchiengkham are not part of coach Ha Hyeok-jun’s plans for the 2024 ASEAN Cup.

Laos players during a training session on Dec. 7, 2024. Photo by LFF

Out of the 26 players selected for the 2024 ASEAN Cup, 24 play domestically, and 18 were born after 2000. The youngest player in the squad is Phousomboun Panyavong, born in 2007. Coach Ha's long-term goal is to invest in the future.

Bounphachan, who scored in Laos' draw with Thailand in November, is in fine form. He has scored six goals and provided six assists in 12 matches for Svay Rieng in the 2024-2025 Cambodian Premier League.

Laos will host Vietnam at 8 p.m. on Monday at the Laos National Stadium. Head-to-head record showed that Laos have lost to Vietnam 12 times and only got one draw.

The AFF Cup is renamed the ASEAN Cup from 2024, and will run from Dec. 8, 2024, to Jan. 5, 2025. The 10 participating teams will be divided into two groups, with each team playing two home and two away matches. The top two teams from each group, along with the two best third-place teams, will progress to the semi-finals, which will be played over two legs, with no away goals rule.

On Sunday, the opening day of the tournament, Thailand crushed Timor Leste 10-0 while Cambodia and Malaysia settled for a 2-2 draw.