Vietnam are already the only team with multiple ASEAN U-23 Championship titles to their names.
By virtue of winning the past two tournaments, they also became the first to claim back-to-back triumphs.
On Friday, they moved one step away from what would be a remarkable third consecutive crown -- coming from behind to claim a 2-1 semifinal win over a plucky Philippines in the ongoing edition of the tournament, officially known as the ASEAN U-23 Mandiri Cup 2025.
Given their status as two-time defending champions, Vietnam would have been expected to once again reach the final at the very least.
But it certainly was far from straightforward coming up against a Philippines outfit that showed plenty of endeavour, which was a key factor behind them getting this far in the first place.
Vietnam hardly helped themselves with some wasteful ways in front of goal at Gelora Bung Karno on Friday, having taken less than a minute to get in behind the opposition defence and issue a first warning.
The woodwork also played its part in keeping the Vietnamese at bay.
In the 9th minute, Nguyễn Đình Bắc found space inside the area and squeezed away a shot that came off the post and ricocheted off the back of Nicholas Guimarães but -- fortuitously enough for the Philippines goalkeeper -- not with sufficient force to send it back into his own goal.
Two minutes later, another sweeping foray forward by Vietnam led to a snapshot just inside the area by Võ Anh Quân. This time, Guimarães stayed rooted to the spot -- seemingly convinced the ball was sailing wide -- only to be bailed out by his other post.
Vietnam's failure to convert their early dominance into an advantage of any sort would cost them six minutes after the half-hour mark.
In a tournament that has seen long-throw specialists deal their fair share of damage, it was Jian Caraig's turn in the spotlight.
His long-range hurl was only cleared as far as the edge of the Vietnam box, where it was then forced back in by Jax Peña with the aid of a deflection.
As the looping ball dropped, Noah Leddel did well to help it on with a backwards header towards Javier Mariona, whose determination saw him win a 50-50 challenge to break free and lash a shot past Trần Trung Kiên.
At this stage, a big upset -- akin to Philippines' 2-0 upset of Malaysia on the opening day -- looked on the cards.
Thankfully for Vietnam, they were able to capitalise four minutes before halftime despite initially being denied by the woodwork again.
Nguyễn Phi Hoàng, who was proving to be Vietnam's most-creative outlet from left wing-back, would float a cross into the pocket of space that Đình Bắc had managed to ghost into.
His initial header would come back off the foot of the post but, as all good forwards do, he would continue his forward motion in the event of a follow-up -- and would not be denied as he reached the rebound before Guimarães could recover to slam the ball home from two yards out.
A minute later, Đình Bắc could easily have doubled his and his side's tally as the Philippines defence went to sleep to let him race through but his stabbed effort past the onrushing Guimarães trickled agonisingly wide.
Vietnam were clearly the superior outfit and it seemed only a matter of how long Philippines could hold out for, or how much self-inflicted damage would come back to haunt the reigning champions.
Seven minutes into the second half, it was Nguyễn Công Phương's turn to be denied from another excellent Phi Hoàng delivery -- this time from a heroic combination of Guimarães' flying save pushing the header onto the bar.
Nonetheless, Vietnam's go-ahead goal would duly arrive in the 54th minute -- and it should come as no surprise that it was manufactured down Phi Hoàng's left flank.
As he once again found a teammate unmarked with his wand of a left foot, Nguyễn Xuân Bắc -- with his back to goal -- would show excellent improvisation to send a header over his shoulder and looping over Guimarães' fingertips at full stretch and just below the bar.
It was a lead Vietnam would not relinquish but it could have been far more comfortable.
With 12 minutes remaining, another Phi Hoàng cross -- this time of a low, slide-rule variety -- rolled perfectly into the path of Lê Văn Thuận, only for the substitute to wildly blaze off target from just eight yards out.
Having come so far in what is a campaign they can eventually look back on with pride, Philippines just could not find an extra level to match it with a side of Vietnam's quality.
When they should have been chasing an equaliser, they failed to produce any passage of notable creativity and enterprise.
Any hopes of a dramatic fightback of their own would be quashed when they were reduced to ten men in injury-time, although -- in a curious case of mistaken identity -- it was Jaime Rosquillo who was shown the straight red when it clearly had been Leddel with the last-man foul to deny Nguyễn Quốc Việt from racing through on goal.
Regardless of whether it is Indonesia or Thailand they face in Tuesday's final, Vietnam will have every reason to believe they can go three in a row.
How difficult they make it for themselves could be the big question.