AFC U23 Asian Cup finals: Vietnam U23 boost knockout hope after 2-1 win against Kyrgyzstan

On January 9 night, Vietnam U23 played their second match in Group A in the AFC U23 Asian Cup finals and secured a 2-1 win against Kyrgyzstan U23. This result brought Vietnam U23 6 points put them in a strong position for the quarterfinals.
 

Vietnam U23 players celebrate after their win against Kyrgyzstan U23 (Source: VFF)

That was a tough match for Coach Kim Sang Sik and his players as they faced a physically dominant side from central asia. However, the composure and skills of Vietnam U23 players eventually paid off. In the 19th minute, Le Phat’s agility inside the box earned Vietnam a penalty, which Captain Khuat Van Khang converted to open the scoring. Kyrgyzstan pushed forward and managed to level the score at 1-1 late in the first half thanks to a stunning long-range strike from Marlen Murzakhmatov.

In the second half, Dinh Bac and Van Thuan were brought onto the field. These substitutions helped Vietnam U23 play better and created more pressure compared to the first half. The breakthrough came from a corner kick when Van Thuans header deflected off a Kyrgyzstan defender and flew into the net, securing a 2-1 lead for Vietnam U23. This proved to be the winning goal for Vietnam. With two consecutive wins and 6 points, Vietnam U23 are now leading Group A and have one foot in the quarterfinals.

P.H
Translated by H.N