Nepal's own goal gives Vietnam narrow 1-0 victory in Asian Cup qualifiers

The match began after a 30-minute delay due to heavy rain, leaving Thong Nhat Stadium soaked. Vietnam, in white, quickly found their breakthrough when a corner from Nguyen Hieu Minh was headed by Suman Shreshtha into his own net in the sixth minute, giving Vietnam the lead.

Despite the early goal, Vietnam struggled to extend their advantage. Tien Linh missed a header from a cross in the 11th minute, and Van Vi’s shot hit the post in the 30th minute. The rain continued to cause challenges for the players, with puddles on the pitch preventing smooth dribbling and quick attacks.

In the second half, Vietnam had several more chances, but poor finishing and solid goalkeeping from Nepal kept the score at 1-0. In the 39th minute, Nepal had their best chance, but Dinesh Henjan's shot was off target after a breakaway. Vietnam’s counterattack in the 84th minute, with a near-miss from substitute Gia Hung, showed their attacking intent, but they couldn’t finish. In the 86th minute, Vietnam hit the post again, this time through Dinh Bac.

Nepal tried to push forward but could not find the equalizer, and despite being under pressure in the final minutes, Vietnam held on to secure the three points.

The victory, however, was not enough to move Vietnam to the top of Group F. With 9 points, they remain behind Malaysia, who won 3-1 against Laos in the other Group F match.

Vietnam's head coach Kim Sang-sik will be hoping for more clinical performances in their upcoming matches to maintain their position and continue their push for the 2027 Asian Cup.

 

 

Nepal's own goal gives Vietnam narrow 1-0 victory in Asian Cup qualifiers

Nepal 0-1 Việt Nam