Vietnam defeat Indonesia 4-0 (Photo: Bongda24h.vn)
Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam trounced Indonesia 4-0 in their match in Group G of the second Asian qualifiers of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which took place in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on June 7.
All the goals were scored by Nguyen Tien Linh, Nguyen Quang Hai, Nguyen Cong Phuong and Vu Van Thanh in the second half.
The national men’s football team lightened up fans as after a comfortable 4-0 victory against Indonesia in the game held at Al Maktoum Stadium in Dubai.
The squad showed its dominance throughout the game and struck four goals in quick succession, and thus tightening its grip on the top place of the group.
In the first half, Vietnam created many clear openings from a steady stream of set pieces, though they easily smothered any Indonesian attempts to get forward.
Indonesia offered little other than a succession of wild challenges and could count themselves fortunate to go into the break with 11 players after a late lunge over the top of the ball from Pratama Arhan Alif in the 23rd minute should have seen him receive his marching orders, but the referee was unmoved.
The turning point came in the 35th minute as Luong Xuan Truong replaced the injured Nguyen Tuan Anh in midfield and gave Vietnam a lot more thrust going forward.
Truong clipped the bar with a long-range shot early in the second half, which proved to be a portent of things to come for Indonesia.
The opening goal came just five minutes into the second half as Tien Linh latched onto a ball over the top by Nguyen Phong Hong Duy and though his first shot was blocked, he managed to fire the rebound in off the post and past goalkeeper Nadeo Argawinata.
Indonesia’s players protested that Tien Linh controlled the ball with his hand to no avail, but they could have no complaints about the second goal.
Hai's strike in the 61st minute was typical of the pint-sized playmaker at his scintillating best. The Hanoi FC man picked the ball up outside of the area and drilled a low, rasping drive into the bottom corner of the net which two goalkeepers couldn’t have stopped.
The third goal was bundled home from close range five minutes later by substitute Cong Phuong after the forward latched on to Tien Linh’s headed flick-on from a corner.
Indonesia’s Egy Maulana rattled the bar in the 70th minute with a thunderous drive from range, though on the balance of play Bui Tan Truong would have been unlucky to lose his clean sheet on a night he had virtually nothing to do.
The fourth and final goal in the 73rd minute was the pick of the bunch and a fitting reward for a solid performance from Van Thanh. The full-back was played in down the right by midfielder Xuan Truong and had the composure and skill to cut inside and curl an unstoppable shot into the far corner of Argawinata’s net.
Van Thanh seals a 4-0 win for Vietnam with a stunner (Photo: Bongda24h.vn)
Vietnam’s coach Park Hang-seo showed his brilliant use of substitutes as Xuan Truong and Cong Phuong performed well.
Vietnam will take on Malaysia on June 11, and another victory helps them move closer to the third round of the qualifiers before a hugely important clash with the UAE four days later.
The team were the sole Southeast Asian squad to win on the day as both Malaysia and Thailand tasted defeat. Of note, the victory against Indonesia stretched Vietnam’s streak of staying unbeaten by regional rivals since the start of the Korean coach’s era.
In case Vietnam come second in the group, points in matches against the bottom placed Indonesia will be deducted and the best five runners-up will qualify for the third qualifying round./.
