Hot Vietnamese football news today 5/8: Vietnam national team returns to training; Hong Kong referee to officiate Vietnam vs Cambodia match

Breaking Vietnam football news 5/8: Vietnam national team back in training; Hong Kong referee to take charge of Vietnam vs Cambodia game

Vietnam national team returns to training

Vietnam national team has returned to Hanoi amid a warm welcome from numerous fans after their 1-0 victory on Indonesian soil in the third matchday of Group A of the ASEAN Championship 2026.

According to the plan, this afternoon the team will train at the practice field to prepare for the upcoming match against the Cambodia national team.

Last night, after landing at Noi Bai Airport, Coach Kim Sang Sik and his players received many words of encouragement and congratulations from fans. The team then quickly returned to their base to begin recovery and preparation for the final group stage match.

Vietnam national team will have two training sessions in Hanoi to refine tactics and review the squad before the match against Cambodia.

The match between Vietnam and Cambodia will take place at 8:00 PM on August 7 at My Dinh National Stadium.

With home advantage and the support of the crowd, Coach Kim Sang Sik's side aims for another victory to build momentum before the ASEAN Championship 2026 semi-finals.

Xuan Son respects Coach Kim Sang Sik's decisions

Striker Nguyen Xuan Son affirmed that he always respects all professional decisions made by Coach Kim Sang Sik after Vietnam's 3-0 win over Indonesia in Group A of the ASEAN Championship 2026.

The 1997-born striker was brought on from the bench but still made an impact with a goal, helping Vietnam secure all three points at Pakansari Stadium.

Sharing after the match, Xuan Son said he is always ready to contribute when given the opportunity and respects all personnel choices of the coaching staff. The striker of Thép Xanh Nam Định emphasized that the team's overall success is the most important thing, rather than individual roles.

In the match against Indonesia, Coach Kim Sang Sik surprised everyone by not starting Xuan Son. The South Korean coach used Đình Bắc as the highest striker to exploit transition ability and speed in counterattacks.

This adjustment proved effective as Vietnam controlled the game well before Xuan Son was brought on and scored in the second half.

Hong Kong referee to officiate Vietnam vs Cambodia match

The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has announced the referee team for the match between Vietnam and Cambodia in the final group stage of Group A of the ASEAN Championship 2026, taking place at 8:00 PM on August 7 at My Dinh National Stadium. The main referee is Cheung Wai Lung Mario (Hong Kong China), an experienced FIFA referee who has officiated many matches in continental and regional tournaments.

The assignment of an experienced referee team by AFF is expected to ensure fairness for this important match for both teams.

Vietnam enters the match with an advantage after the win in Indonesia, thus holding their destiny in their own hands in the race for a semi-final spot.

Although rated higher than Cambodia and having home advantage, Coach Kim Sang Sik's side still needs to maintain focus to achieve the goal of taking all three points and finishing the group stage at the top.

Cong An TP Ho Chi Minh Club signs Angolan striker

Cong An TP Ho Chi Minh Club has signed Angolan midfielder Aldair Ferreira. Born in 1998, 1.75m tall, he came through the youth system of Gil Vicente, a traditional club playing in the Portuguese top division.

Possessing good technical skills and wide-ranging activity in the midfield area, the 27-year-old midfielder is expected to bring additional tactical options to the police club.

Before moving to Vietnam, Aldair Ferreira played for Botosani in the Romanian top division during the 2024-2026 period.

Not only playing at club level, Aldair Ferreira is also a member of the Angola national team. His international experience is expected to help him quickly adapt and contribute to Cong An TP Ho Chi Minh Club's ambitions for titles in the 2026-2027 season.

The arrival of Aldair Ferreira further demonstrates the determination to improve the squad quality of Cong An TP Ho Chi Minh Club ahead of the new season.