Vietnam coach Kim Sang-sik blames heavy rain for slim win over Nepal

A puddle of water makes Nepal's Manish Dangi miss a chance to finish when facing goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien in their 0-1 loss to Vietnam in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifiers at Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City on Oct. 14, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong

Heavy downpour hit Ho Chi Minh City three hours before kick-off on Tuesday night, leading to flooding at Thong Nhat Stadium. The match was delayed by 30 minutes as organizers worked to fix the puddles on the field. Despite these efforts, the pitch remained slippery, with water all over the pitch, making it difficult for the players to execute their game plan.

Nepal experienced that difficulty early on. In the second minute, midfielder Manish Dangi had a chance to score after facing goalkeeper Tran Trung Kien, but the wet surface slowed the ball down, preventing him from capitalizing on the opportunity. Just three minutes later, Vietnam took the lead when Nepal center-back Suman Shrestha scored an own goal from a corner kick by Truong Tien Anh.

Although Vietnam had the advantage early on, they struggled to extend their lead. Despite several opportunities, the team's four attackers, Nguyen Tien Linh, Nguyen Van Vi, Nguyen Thanh Nhan and Nguyen Dinh Bac could not convert.

"The weather wasn’t ideal today and I regret that we couldn’t score more goals," coach Kim said in the post-match press conference. "The bad weather prevented us from executing our game plan as effectively as we wanted. Nonetheless, three points are crucial for achieving our goal."

In the first leg at Go Dau Stadium on Oct. 9, Vietnam dominated but also failed to convert many chances against a lower-ranked Nepal, winning 3-1 despite having 24 shots. Coach Kim emphasized the need for better precision in the second leg, which did not happen.

Coach Kim Sang-sik reacts to a missed chance against Nepal in the 2027 Asian Cup qualifier at Thong Nhat Stadium, Ho Chi Minh City on Oct. 14, 2025. Photo by VnExpress/Duc Dong

"Our issue was accuracy. Some players were rushing, and in the second half, fatigue set in, preventing us from performing to our expectations. In the next international break, the players need more practice to bring effectiveness," he added.

Assistant coach Salyan Khadgi expressed disappointment at Nepal's loss due to the own goal but praised his team's resilience.

"We had a clear strategy to focus on defense, and our performance improved in the second half. If this match had been played in Nepal, our strategy would have leaned toward more attacking," Khadgi said.

Although the match took place at Thong Nhat Stadium, it was considered a home match for Nepal, who had to borrow the venue due to the current situation in the country.

After four rounds, Malaysia are leading Group F with 12 points, while Vietnam has 9. If Malaysia retain their position, they will qualify for the 2027 Asian Cup. However, following FIFA's recent sanctioning of Malaysia for falsifying documents of naturalized players, there is a possibility that their victories against Nepal and Vietnam could be overturned. If that happens, Vietnam could take the top spot.

Khadgi suggested that Vietnam deserves to qualify more than Malaysia.

"Given recent incidents in Malaysia, if FIFA's rules are applied, the results may change," he added.

 

 

Vietnam coach Kim Sang-sik blames heavy rain for slim win over Nepal

Nepal 0-1 Việt Nam