Ho Chi Minh City-based paint manufacturer 4 Oranges has brought 250 Vietnamese football fans to Laos’ Vientiane to support U-23 Vietnam in their Southeast Asian Games campaign.
Boss Paints is the company’s brand associated with the support program, which was launched in Vietnam this July and collected about one million signatures from Vietnamese fans nationwide.
Those who joined the Laos trip organized by the company included its customers all parts of Vietnam and invited guesses. The 250-fan group presented flowers at the Ho Chi Minh Statue in the central city of Vinh, the late Vietnamese President’s hometown, on Dec. 1 and traveled by bus to Vientiane the same day.
The next day in the Lao capital, the Boss Paints group joined thousands of other Vietnamese fans cheering U-23 Vietnam in their game against SEA Games defending champions Thailand at the Main Stadium in the National Sport Complex. The stadium was flooded by a color of red made by Vietnamese fans, and their team drew Thailand 1-1.
Before heading to the Main Stadium, the group visited That Luang Temple in Vientiane to pray for victories of Vietnam.
All Vietnamese fans cheered and played drums and trumpets during the Dec. 2 match. Outside the stadium were many other Vietnamese fans who failed to find a ticket to get in. The atmosphere inside the stadium was like one at Vietnam’s My Dinh National Stadium when the national squad or the U-23 team play.
Nguyen Nam Phuong, a fan in the Boss Paints group, said, “I’m from the central province of Binh Dinh. Our big group wishes victories for Vietnam.”
He held up a big Vietnamese flag, running on the stand during the Vietnam-Thailand game. A large number of Vietnamese flags were seen anywhere in the stadium. After the game finished 1-1, many Vietnamese fans were seen on the main road to the stadium, waving Vietnamese flags.
Some Australians joined the group in cheering the Vietnamese side. They also shouted “Vietnam, Vietnam” during the game as the Vietnamese fans did.
An overwhelming red came again at Chao Anouvong Stadium in the Vietnam-East Timor match on Dec. 4 and the Main Stadium in the Vietnam vs. Malaysia game two days later. Vietnam won 4-0 and 3-1, respectively, and gained seven points after three matches to put one foot into the semifinals.
The Main Stadium and Chao Anouvong Stadium in the Lao capital have been covered by the red from football fans from Vietnam who have been staying in Vientiane since early December to support their team in the 25th SEA Games.
