HANOI: Vietnam coach Kim Sang-sik claimed neither Lionel Messi nor Cristiano Ronaldo could have found a way past the inspired Patrik Lê Giang after seeing his goalkeeper keep Thailand at bay to take a 2-0 lead into the second leg of the Asean Hyundai Cup 2026 final in Bangkok.
The 33-year-old was named the Hyundai Player of the Match, the first goalkeeper to win the award in this tournament, after making a string of fine saves to prevent the Thais from taking the lead before second-half goals from Nguyễn Hai Long and Nguyễn Quang Hải silenced the home fans at Rajamangala Stadium on Saturday.
“If Patrik hadn’t been in goal today, we might have conceded three goals,” said Kim. “But he was the goalkeeper today so we saved three goals.
“If Ronaldo or Messi had been here today, Patrik would have saved from them too. His performance was brilliant.”
The Cong An Ho Chi Minh City goalkeeper was in outstanding form throughout, but in particular during an opening 45 minutes in which Thailand’s dominance grew as the half wore on.
Patrik’s most eye-catching intervention came in the 36th minute when he threw himself to his left to prevent Yotsakon Burapha’s strike from finding the top corner while eight minutes later his speed off the line unsettled the Thai striker, forcing him to shoot over the bar.
The Slovakia-born custodian only made his debut for three-times champions Vietnam in a friendly against Myanmar in July, one week prior to the start of the Asean Hyundai Cup 2026 and has been an ever-present throughout the competition, conceding only once.
His selection for Vietnam has come after more than three years playing in V.League 1 and he credited coach Lee Woon-jae – the former South Korean goalkeeper who played at four FIFA World Cups – for the work done on the training field to prepare for the tournament.
“I’m happy that I made this save and I helped the team,” Patrik said of his first-half save from Yotsakon. “It’s most important that we won and we brought home a very important win.
“I feel very grateful for the opportunity I have got from the coach to represent the Vietnam national team. I’m just doing my job and try to give my best when I represent the country, to pay him back for the chance he gave me.
“I feel very grateful after three-and-a-half years that my dream came true and I can be here.”
The win in Bangkok has provided the Vietnamese with the ideal platform to go on and complete their first-ever successful defence of the title, but Patrik insisted the task remains unfinished.
“We are very happy we won this very tough game against a tough opponent, especially in their stadium in Thailand,” he said.
“It’s just the first game, so all the team and I know the job is not done yet. We have another game at home in Mỹ Đình National Stadium. We have to keep going and keep fighting, we have to prepare a good recovery and be ready for the next game."
