VietNamNet Bridge – Viet Nam yesterday (Oct 12) lost 5-6 to Australia in the last match of the group round at the ASEAN Football Federation's Futsal Championship in Bangkok, Thailand.

Indoor football: Australian striker Shervin Keshavarz Adeli (left) passes Vietnamese defenders during their AFF Futsal Championship in Bangkok. Australia win 6-5. — Photo aseanfootball.org

The defeat makes Viet Nam the second-placed team in Group B, while Australia tops the table.

Both teams have already qualified for the semi-final round earlier. Australia, therefore, avoid a premature clash with hot favourites Thailand in the last-four round here.

The match turned out to be a bruising affair as three players – two Aussies, including their skipper and the Vietnamese keeper – were red carded.

The pressure to win was immense and that may have affected the players.

In his haste to clear the ball, Viet Nam keeper Ngo Dinh Thuan, raced out, slammed into Jarrod Basger and was immediately sent-off at the 12th minute.

Australia quickly took advantage and scored through Wade Giovenali a minute later. Just shortly after, Australia's Glen Kelshaw was given marching orders.

Viet Nam took their chances well with Le Quoc Nam scoring in the 14th mark.

But Australia soon regained the lead when Giovenali put them ahead again in the next minute.

Jarrod then made it 3-1, but Nguyen Minh Tri shortly had the crowd on its feet with his shot.

But before the Vietnamese could even think of equalising, the Aussies replied with another superb strike from Giovenali in the 18th minute.

It was a thriller of a game, especially in the second half, as Viet Nam stepped up the pace in their hunt for goals and managed to pick up three more through Tran Van Vu, Ngo Ngoc Son and Duong Anh Tung.

Australia also had as many goals after the break with goals by Giovenali and Dean Lockhart hitting the mark.

As the players moved to the centre of the court for the ceremonial finish to shake hands with each other and match officials, Australian skipper Giovenali's apparently uttered some profanities and was given the sack.

In an earlier Group B match, Myanmar defeated Laos 12-4 to finish third in the ranking.

VNS