The Vietnamese women's team are now second in Group B, two points behind the Republic of Korea.(Source: nhandan.org.vn) Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnamese women’s football team secured their first win in the second round of the 2019 AFC U-19 Women’s Championship qualifiers by beating Lebanon 4-1 in their second Group B clash in Hanoi on April 28.
After their opening 1-1 draw against Iran two days earlier, the Vietnamese team set a three-point target for the clash against Lebanon in order to foster hopes of advancing to the final competition, to be hosted in Thailand.
The match started at a lightning pace thanks to strong determination from both sides. Captain Nguyen Thi Tuyet Ngan affirmed Vietnam’s ambition by getting on the scoresheet after 15 minutes with an accurate finish from outside the box.
The early goal gave the Vietnamese side’s confidence a strong boost, inspiring them to produce a constant threat on the Lebanese goal.
The host team needed 12 more minutes to double their advantage, as defender Pham Thi Lan Anh converted a corner kick from Tran Thi Thu Xuan with an unstoppable header.
After the break, Vietnamese players continued to put pressure on their opponents seeking to widen the score, but faced a lot of difficulties posed by the Lebanese defensive line’s physical superiority and readiness to challenge.
In a counterattack six minutes after the hour mark, forward Y. Bou Rada utilised a Vietnamese defensive mistake to pull a goal back for Lebanon.
With time running out, the Vietnamese side created a number of scoring opportunities, but proved unlucky as their final attempts constantly hit the woodwork.
It was not until the 85th minute that Tuyet Ngan restored the two-goal lead for the hosts with a subtle finish, before substitute Ngo Thi Hong Nhung wrapped up Vietnam’s rally with the fourth goal in stoppage time.
With the 4-1 victory, the Vietnamese team temporarily climbed to second in Group B with four points, two behind the Republic of Korea and three above third-placed Iran.
Vietnam will play their last qualifying match with the Republic of Korea at 7pm on April 30, in which they will only need a draw to make it through to the final competition of the 2019 AFC U-19 Women’s Championship. – VNA
VNA
