“This is my first match as the chief coach of the Vietnam national team,” Kim said at a press briefing in Hanoi on June 5. “Five days of preparation is rather short but I tried to convey the philosophy and tactics to the players who absorbed them very well and this is the basis for the whole team to look towards the best results.”

After more than 30 days of taking the helm, Sang will make his debut appearance in the Vietnam vs Philippines match as part of the second qualifying round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup due to take place at 19:00 at My Dinh Stadium in Hanoi on June 6.

Despite pressure there, he said the team will play at home and receive strong support from home fans, alongside their thorough preparations.

“I can see the progress the players have made, they are excited and full of confidence to clinch a win,” stressed the Korean manager.

Meanwhile, coach Tom Saintfiet also expressed his self-confidence in the Philippines’ win even though he knows Vietnam are strong opponents.

The Philippines got only one point after four Group F matches and they have little chance in theory to advance to the next round. Tom admitted that Vietnam have defeated the Philippines in previous matches, bringing to bear pressure on his players.

Despite difficulties, the Philippines will try to secure three points in their away match, stated Tom.