IT was almost impossible to hear positive statements about the chances of our football team when they took on Vietnam last Thursday.
Having lost the home advantage last week, not many fans gave the Harimau Malaya much of a chance in the return leg in Ho Chi Minh City.
But coach Dollah Salleh was cautiously optimistic about his boys.
And his selection of a few old guards in the team was justified. Beating Vietnam 4-1 on home soil was indeed sweet and paved the way for better days.
But Thailand is no Vietnam. The two-leg finals (Dec 17 in Bangkok and Dec 20 in Shah Alam) will determine if our football is on the way up or its just another one of those fluke wins.