Across 16 opening matches in 16 ASEAN Cup editions, Thailand has won twelve and drawn four, scoring 61 goals and conceding only twelve. They have secured victories against strong opponents such as Vietnam in 2008, Singapore in 2014, and Indonesia in 2016. In their five most recent opening fixtures, they scored 29 goals without conceding, largely due to facing the tournament's weakest teams.

Teerasak honors captain Sarach after scoring against Laos at Vientiane stadium in the opening group B match of the 2026 ASEAN Cup on 25/7. Photo: FAT

Thailand's victory on the evening of 25/7 was not overly challenging. The five goals came from Teerasak Poeiphimai, Yotsakorn Burapha, Sarach Yooyen, and a brace from Kakana Khamyok. Notably, Yotsakorn and Kakana scored their first international goals for the national team.

Beyond Thailand, no other team, including Vietnam, boasts an unbeaten record in ASEAN Cup opening matches. Across 16 opening fixtures from the 1996 Tiger Cup to the 2026 ASEAN Cup, Vietnam has won ten, drawn five, and lost one, scoring 51 goals and conceding 13 times. Their sole defeat occurred in the 2008 AFF Cup, when Henrique Calisto's squad lost 0-2 to Thailand at Rajamangala stadium.

However, that loss became a stepping stone for what was then the greatest achievement in Vietnamese football history. After that initial stumble, Vietnam successively defeated Malaysia 3-2 and drew 1-1 with Singapore to reach the semi-finals. They then overcame Singapore before beating Thailand with an aggregate score of 3-2 in the final, securing their first Southeast Asian championship title.

Vietnam is also the only team apart from Thailand to have lost only one opening match in the tournament's history. Both Indonesia and Singapore have suffered two opening-day defeats, while Malaysia has lost three times.

A moment Manuel Bihr heads wide of the Laos post. Photo: FAT

Laos is Vietnam's most frequent opening opponent. The two teams have met five times, with Vietnam winning all encounters: 4-1 (1998), 3-0 (2018), 2-0 (2020), 6-0 (2022), and 4-1 (2024). This time, Laos was in the same group as Thailand and could not avoid a heavy defeat, despite playing at home.

Vietnam's largest opening-day victory was a 9-2 thrashing of Cambodia at the 2002 Tiger Cup. This also stands as the highest-scoring opening match in the national team's tournament history. Additionally, Vietnam defeated Myanmar 7-1 in 2010 and Laos 6-0 in 2022.

Meanwhile, Thailand's biggest opening match win was a 10-0 victory over Timor Leste in 2024, which is also their largest win in tournament history. The largest victory in the entire tournament belongs to Indonesia, with a 13-1 scoreline against the Philippines in the 2002 group stage. This is followed by Singapore's 11-0 win over Laos in 2007, where forward Noh Alam Shah set a record by scoring seven goals in a single match.

Xuan Binh