The Vietnam national team will host the Philippines at home at 19:00 on June 6th in the 5th match of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers. This is the first match where head coach Kim Sang Sik, replacing his predecessor Philippe Troussier, will debut to our nation’s fans. Therefore, the red flag with a yellow star team is determined to secure 3 points to welcome the new coach and regain the trust of the fans after a series of poor performances.
Expert Opinion
In the first leg held away at the end of 2023, the red flag with a yellow star team, under the guidance of coach Troussier, won 2-0 against the Philippines. After the first leg, the situation in Group F has been settled. The Iraq national team (12 points) and the Indonesia national team (7 points) have secured the two tickets to advance. Vietnam has only 3 points and is ranked 3rd in the group. The Philippines national team is at the bottom of the group with just 1 point after 4 matches and has almost no chance of advancing.
If the Vietnam national team secures 3 points this time, they will have a chance to advance. This means we must win all matches against the Philippines. If last time our players easily surpassed the island nation’s team, in this rematch, coach Kim Sang-Sik’s team is expected to face more difficulties. This is because our players need to learn to adapt to the new tactical formation. However, this is not a major obstacle as the players have played together for many years and can easily understand each other and coordinate smoothly.
On the other side, the Philippines national team is eager for a win to settle the score from the 0-2 loss in the first leg against Vietnam. Evidence of this is their aggressive recruitment of naturalized players, bringing in those currently playing in Europe to the national team. Notable names include Dylan Demunyck (Zuite Waregem), Michael Baldisimo (San Jose Earthquake FC), Alex Monis (New England Revolution), Neil Etheridge (Birmingham City), and especially Santiago Rublico (Atletico Madrid), all of whom are present.
Match Odds
In the last 5 matches, the red flag with a yellow star team has lost all. Meanwhile, the Philippines national team has lost 4 and drawn 1 in their last 5 outings. Analyzing the form, the balance of power between the two sides shows no significant improvement or disparity. However, if you look at the head-to-head history, the Vietnam national team has won all 5 of their most recent encounters with the opponent. In the last 5 years, victory has never smiled on the Philippines when facing our players. Moreover, the red flag with a yellow star team also receives enthusiastic support from home fans. Combining these two factors is enough for the Vietnam national team to send the opponent home empty-handed. The biggest disadvantage for our national team is that center-back Bùi Hoàng Việt Anh will be absent from the upcoming match due to suspension.
If you are concerned that the Philippines national team has too strong a lineup of foreign players, rest assured. Football is a team game that requires individuals to connect and coordinate well. The foreign players returning from various places are still unfamiliar. Whether they can maximize their strength remains an open question. Moreover, the Philippines’ defense has been very lax, conceding 9 goals since the start of the tournament. This is an opportunity for Tuấn Hải, Tiến Linh, Văn Toàn, and others to strike.
From the above analysis, it can be seen that the Vietnam national team has a slight advantage, so being the favorite is understandable. However, with their not-so-impressive form, the handicap odds will certainly not be high.
Looking at the head-to-head history, we can easily see that in 3 out of 5 encounters, both teams were very active in scoring. The total goals ranged from 3 to 6 per match. However, in the last two matches, the scoring ability of both teams has significantly decreased. Therefore, choosing the under bet will be safer for you.
Expected Lineup
Vietnam: Thanh Bình, Việt Anh, Filip Nguyen, Tuấn Tài, Xuân Mạnh, Văn Thanh, Quang Hải, Hoàng Đức, Tuấn Hải, Hùng Dũng, Văn Toàn. Philippines: Etheridge, Tabinas, Rontini, Curran, Sato, Baas, Ott, Porteria, Rublico, Ott, Reichelt. Score Prediction: Vietnam 2-0 Philippines Asian Handicap: Vietnam (-1.0) FT. Over/Under: Under.
