Vietnam streets overflow as football fans go to town over Asian Games history

By Staff reporters   August 27, 2018 | 08:23 am PT
Downtown streets in major Vietnamese cities were awash with the national colors of red and yellow on Monday night.
Vietnamese flags paint a street in Hanoi as fans celebrate the countrys quarterfinal victory over Syria at Asian Games in Indonesia on Monday night. Photo by Gia Chinh

National flags flew high in Hanoi as fans celebrated the country's quarterfinal victory over Syria at Asian Games in Indonesia on Monday night. Coach Park Hang-seo and the boys have done the nation proud. Photo by Gia Chinh

Flares for the celebration in Hanoi. Photo by Ba Do

Hanoi burns bright on Monday night. Photo by Ba Do

In Da Nang, the spirit is as high. Photo by Nguyen Dong

Fans in Da Nang were as high-spirited as their brethren in other parts of the country. Photo by Nguyen Dong

10:30    45 minutes after the final whistle, people were storming downtown streets in Hanoi, with many football fans ready to paint the streets red with flags and T-shirts. Photo by VnExpress/ Ngoc Thanh

10:10 p.m. The Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square in Hanoi filled up in no time after Vietnam beat Syria in its first even Asian Games quarterfinal match. Photo by VnExpress/Ngoc Thanh

10:30    45 minutes after the final whistle, people were storming downtown streets in Hanoi, with many football fans ready to paint the streets red with flags and T-shirts. Photo by VnExpress/ Ngoc Thanh

10:30 pm   45 minutes after the final whistle, downtown Hanoi streets were painted red and yellow. Photo by VnExpress/ Ngoc Thanh

In Hanoi, the rain failed to dampen the celebratory mood. Photo by Tuan Hoang Sam and Nick of California watched the game on a bus. It was a good game and I want Vietnam to be like this every day, such an amazing country, Nick said. Photo by Tuan HoangThree fans ready with their winning smiles.Photo by Tuan Hoang

In Hanoi, the rain failed to dampen the celebratory mood. Photo by Tuan Hoang 

Sam and Nick of California watched the game on a bus. It was a good game and I want Vietnam to be like this every day, such an amazing country, Nick said. Photo by Tuan Hoang

Sam and Nick of California watched the game on a bus in Hanoi. "It was a good game and I want Vietnam to be like this every day, such an amazing country," Nick said. Photo by Tuan Hoang

Three fans ready with their winning smiles.Photo by Tuan Hoang

Three fans ready with their winning smiles. Photo by Tuan Hoang

In Saigon, thousands of fans have poured into the city center to celebrate the historic win of the Vietnamese men who have written a new chapter for Vietnams football history.

In Saigon, thousands of fans were screaming with joy after the Vietnamese men’s football team beat Syria to reach the Asian Games semifinals on Monday.

In the coastal city of Nha Trang in central Vietnam, fans flocked to downtown streets, screaming, Vietnam! Vietnam! Vietnams the Champion!Vietnamese players scored an outstanding goal, one man said.  Photo by VnExpress/Xuan NgocA family of four members on a motorbike in Saigon mingles with the teaming crowds.Saigon fans cheer as Nguyen Van Toan found the oppositions net in the 108th minute. 

In the coastal city of Nha Trang in central Vietnam, fans flocked to downtown streets, screaming, “Vietnam! Vietnam! Vietnams the Champion!

“Vietnamese players scored an outstanding goal,” one man said.  Photo by VnExpress/Xuan Ngoc

A family of four members on a motorbike in Saigon mingles with the teaming crowds.

A family of four members on a motorbike in Saigon mingles with the teaming crowds.

Saigon fans cheer as Nguyen Van Toan found the oppositions net in the 108th minute. 

Saigon fans cheer as Nguyen Van Toan found the opposition’s net in the 108th minute. 

The Vietnamese men’s football team repeated a historic feat, beating Syria on extra time to reach the Asian Games semifinal on Monday.

Vietnam soared into euphoria as Nguyen Van Toan, wearing jersey number 8, tapped the ball in, collecting a rebound off the crossbar in the 108th minute.

By defeating Syria in the quarterfinal match, it will enter the semifinal and play against South Korea in the at 4 p.m. on August 29.

After the game, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Ngoc Thien announced a reward of VND500 million ($4,300) for the players and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent a congratulatory message to the team.

The Asian Games is the world's second biggest multiple sports event (after the Olympics). This year’s edition, held in Jakarta and Palembang, Indonesia, has drawn 16,000 competitors and officials from 45 nations.

 
 
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