Jakarta (VNA) - Vietnam came from behind to defeat Pakistan 4-2 in their final Group B match of the FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium, Indonesia, on October 2, securing the second place in the group and a berth in the third-place playoff.
Entering the match with the aim of earning at least one point to get a slot in the third-place playoff, VVietnam struggled against Pakistan’s physical and aggressive style of play. Head coach Kim Sang Sik's side created few clear-cut chances, while a defensive mistake left Vietnam trailing.
In the 31st minute, after Vietnam lost possession and failed to coordinate effectively in defence, Mohib Ullah of Pakistan broke through and went one-on-one with goalkeeper Patrik Le Giang before firing home to put Pakistan ahead.
Trailing at the break, Vietnam pushed forward from the start of the second half. Coach Kim introduced Nguyen Dinh Bac and Phan Tuan Tai, making Vietnam's attacking play more incisive.
In the 50th minute, Hai Long sparked the comeback when he received a pass from Phan Tuan Tai, beat a Pakistan defender and finished accurately to level the score.
Just seven minutes later, Vietnam completed the turnaround. Dinh Bac showed skill on the left flank before delivering a pass for Hoang Duc to race forward and finish with a first-time effort, putting Vietnam 2-1 ahead.
Vietnam continued to apply pressure and created several more chances. In the 80th minute, Dinh Bac produced a skillful move inside the box before firing home to extend the lead to 3-1.
Pakistan refused to give up. In the 88th minute, Kaleem Ullah pulled one back to make it 2-3, setting up a tense finale.
However, Vietnam quickly put the result beyond doubt. In the 90th minute, Dinh Bac set up Williams Minh Hoang, who raced through before producing a diagonal finish to seal a 4-2 victory. It was also Minh Hoang's first goal for the Vietnam national team.
The victory saw Vietnam finish the group stage with six points in second place in Group B, behind Thailand. Thailand had earlier secured a place in the final after defeating Vietnam 2-0 in their second group-stage match. FIFA confirmed that Thailand had secured a place in the final after winning both of their matches.
The FIFA ASEAN Cup 2026 is the inaugural edition of the tournament organised by FIFA, featuring 14 national teams and taking place from September 24 to October 5 in Indonesia and Hong Kong (China).
Vietnam will face Malaysia, runners-up in Group A, in the third-place playoff on October 5 while Thailand will meet Indonesia in the final the same day./.
