Vietnam beat Indonesia 1-0 in tense AFC U23 qualifier. Viet Hung in a ball fighting. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s U23 team beat Indonesia 1 - 0 in the AsianFootball Confederation U23 Championship qualification round in Hanoi on March24.
They did it in the last minute.
They will next play Thailand on March 26 in a match that will decide whofinishes the qualifiers in top spot.
As the clock ticked, Trieu Viet Hung found himself in between the biggerIndonesian defenders to nod the ball home past of goalkeeper Awan SethoRaharjo.
Vietnam, with home advantage, dominated from the start attacking down bothflanks. They had most of the possession in the opening 15 minutes but couldn’tbeat Raharjo.
At the other end the defenders were guilty of making mistakes and Thanh Chungnearly scored an own goal slicing a clearance that fortunately for him fell thewrong side of his own post.
Vietnamese keeper Bui Tien Dung also kept Indonesian at bay, keeping his netsafe in the first half.
Unhappy with what he was seeing, coach Park Hang-seo made three changes athalf-time but the substitutes couldn’t break down the Indonesian defence.
Meanwhile keeper Dung made a serious mistake when he cleared ball to Indonesianstriker Marinus within his box. But the Hanoi FC player successfully stoppedthe finish.
Vietnam were given their fourth corner kick in the third minute of the extratime.
Talented midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai’s cross found Hung who cheered upthousands of supporters in the stands.
Winning the second match Vietnam rank second in the table behind Thailand ongoal difference who trounced Brunei 8-0 in an early match of the group.
Thailand with two wins currently tops group K. As the host of 2020 AFC U23Championship, Thailand is already in, while Vietnam needs to top the group orbecome the best second-placed team. - VNA
VNA
