Vietnam's U23 footballers on Siam Sports (Photo: Siam Sports) Hanoi (VNA) – International sport news agencies have called Vietnam’s winin the Asian Football Confederation U23 Championship’s semi-final against formerchampion Iraq a historic victory.
The victorywas defined after Vietnam beat Iraq 5-3 in the penalty shootout after a 3-3draw on January 20 in Changsu, China.
“Iraq wentinto the game in confident mood after topping Group D and dictated the openingexchanges but, with Vietnam’s defensive discipline to the fore in the earlyexchanges, there was little Abdulghani Shahad’s side could do to find a waythrough,” said an article on the AFC website on the event.
Thailand’sSiam Sports newspaper highlighted that Vietnam has become the first SoutheastAsian country to reach the game’s final to date. The victory showed that theteam is capable of defeating top countries in the region, it said.
Vietnam madehistory in Southeast Asia after beating 2013 champion Iraq in a way that no onecould ever image, an ESPN’s website praised.
FootballIdonesia wrote in a tweetthat Vietnam is now heading toward the final after a remarkable 5-3 win againstIraq.
Vietnam, the only ASEAN country in the continental tournament’s last-four round,will next play Qatar on January 23.-VNA
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