Vietnam’s national football team secured a dramatic 1-0 victory over Indonesia at Viet Tri Stadium on the evening of December 15, thanks to a moment of brilliance from star player Nguyen Quang Hai.

This match, part of the third round of Group B in the 2024 AFF Mitsubishi Electric Cup, saw Coach Kim Sang-sik make significant changes to Vietnam’s starting lineup, altering nearly half of the squad compared to their opener against Laos.

Entering the match as heavy favorites, Vietnam dominated possession from the outset. Tien Linh and his teammates pushed forward aggressively, confining much of the play to Indonesia’s half. Meanwhile, Coach Shin Tae-yong’s Indonesian team opted for a cautious approach, sitting deep with a low defensive block.

Despite their dominance, Vietnam failed to capitalize in the first half. The home side created three noteworthy chances:

3rd Minute: Quang Hai delivered a high cross from the right-side corner, setting up Nguyen Van Vi for a powerful shot outside the box, but Indonesia’s defense blocked it effectively.

35th Minute: Tien Linh intercepted a defensive error to launch a quick counterattack. He threaded a sharp pass to Tan Tai, who was brought down in the penalty area, but the referee waved off appeals for a foul.

41st Minute: Tien Linh’s header forced a difficult save from Indonesia’s goalkeeper, but the deadlock remained.

The second half saw Indonesia grow into the game, creating more attacking opportunities. In the 65th minute, Benjamin Dethan found space in Vietnam’s box and unleashed a close-range shot, but goalkeeper Nguyen Filip made a crucial save.

Vietnam finally broke the stalemate in the 77th minute, courtesy of Quang Hai’s brilliance. From outside the box, he unleashed a powerful strike that rattled the crossbar. As Tien Linh controlled the rebound with his chest, Quang Hai quickly followed up with a low, precise shot past Indonesia’s goalkeeper, putting Vietnam ahead 1-0.

With the lead secured, Vietnam played with renewed energy and created several more chances, but the scoreline remained unchanged. The match ended with a narrow victory for Vietnam.

With this win, Vietnam climbed to the top of Group B with six points, overtaking Indonesia, which remains in second place with four points.

Lam Hoang