The national team’s participation will be the nation’s fifth ties competing in the AFC Asian Cup. Most notably, they progressed to the knock-out stage in both 2007 and 2019, reaching the quarterfinals in each of those editions. 

Vietnam have lost only one of their last three games at the AFC Asian Cup, with this coming after they lost four consecutive games in the regional competition.

The national team have lost both times in their two matches against Japan at the AFC Asian Cup, with 4-1 and 1-0 defeats, respectively. This is a similar record the nation’s two encounters against Iraq, with 2-0 and 3-2 losses, the AFC noted.

Local players faced a total of 23 shots on target at the 2019 Asian Cup, with only Turkmenistan at 25 and Uzbekistan at 24 facing more such shots.

The AFC has also named goalkeeper Dang Van Lam as one of the most outstanding footballers on the Vietnamese team. He made 16 saves in the 2019 Asian Cup, with only Ignatiy Nesterov at 21 saves and Amer Shafi with 20 saves beating him. 

Drawn in Group D, the Southeast Asian side will face four-time champions Japan, Indonesia, and 2007 winners Iraq at the upcoming tournament.

Vietnam’s fixtures against Japan, Indonesia, and Iraq will be held on January 14, January 19, and January 24, respectively.

The 2023 AFC Asian Cup will be the 18th edition of the tournament and will get underway in Qatar from January 12 to February 10 next year.

The quadrennial international men's football championship of the Asian region organised by the AFC will involve 24 national teams after expanding in 2019, with Qatar competing as the defending champions.

Source: VOV