In just the third minute, Van Vi fired a dangerous angled shot that narrowly missed the post.

Two minutes later, from a corner kick, Hieu Minh rose for a header that deflected off a Nepalese defender into the net, giving Vietnam a 1-0 lead.

After the goal, coach Kim Sang Sik’s players continued to dominate.

Tien Linh struck the crossbar in the 11th minute, while both Van Vi and Thanh Nhan missed valuable chances.

In the second half, Nepal pushed forward, but goalkeeper Trung Kien held firm.

Vietnam created several more opportunities, including a strike by Dinh Bac that hit the post in the 74th minute.

Near the end of the match, Nepal nearly equalized, but their close-range shot went wide.

Vietnam held on for a 1-0 win, keeping their hopes alive in Group F.

June 10, 2025, saw plenty of surprises and drama across the second matchday of the Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers, especially among Southeast Asian teams.

FIFA has just released a shocking report regarding Malaysia’s player naturalization scandal.

According to investigations, the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) falsified citizenship records for seven foreign-born players.

They allegedly fabricated ancestral records, changing actual birthplaces in Argentina, Spain, Brazil, and the Netherlands to fake Malaysian addresses.

As a result, none of the players met eligibility requirements to represent Malaysia under FIFA rules.

The controversy erupted following Malaysia’s 4-0 win over Vietnam in the Asian Cup qualifiers, prompting formal complaints about the suspiciously fast naturalization process.

FIFA confirmed the documents submitted by FAM were fraudulent.

While FAM has filed an appeal, the case is likely to be taken to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

If Malaysia is ruled to forfeit the match with a 0-3 loss, Vietnam’s chances of advancing will significantly improve.

However, coach Kim Sang Sik’s team must still secure all 9 points from matches against Nepal and Laos to ensure qualification.

Another surprise came as Thailand unexpectedly lost 1-3 to Turkmenistan on the road, complicating their own bid for a place in the 2027 finals.

Elsewhere, Laos stunned Nepal with a 2-1 victory, while Timor-Leste edged Maldives 1-0.

Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Brunei, and Singapore also recorded important wins, adding more unpredictability to the Asian Cup 2027 qualification race.

The second round of group matches confirmed that the road to the Asian Cup 2027 will be filled with surprises and tough challenges.

The third qualifying round for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup is scheduled from March 25, 2025, to March 31, 2026.

This phase features 24 teams divided into six groups, with four teams per group.

Each team plays home and away in a double round-robin format.

The top team in each group will secure a direct ticket to the Asian Cup 2027 finals.

In this round, Vietnam, the reigning ASEAN Cup champions, were placed in Group F alongside Malaysia, Nepal, and Laos.

Given their status, Vietnam is seen as the top contender to qualify from the group.

Thien Binh