Vietnam beat Indonesia on penalty shootout to win AFF U23 Championship

The AFF U23 Championship final between Vietnam and Indonesia was filled with highlights despite the lack of goals.

Both teams entered the game with caution, and the most notable play in the first half was Vietnam’s missed penalty in the 33rd minute after Nguyen Minh Quang was fouled inside the box. On the spot, Nguyen Quoc Viet couldn’t beat goalkeeper Ernando Ari, who made a great save.

Ari continued his impressive form in the second half, denying many shots from Vietnam players. On the other side, keeper Quan Van Chuan was also excellent with many saves, although he made one mistake in the 55th minute and Vietnam almost conceded a goal.

Keeper Quan Van Chuan who made many saves for Vietnam including the game-winner in the penalty shootout. Photo by Lam Thoa

The remaining time not only showed the talent of both goalkeepers but also the poor finishing skills of the attackers, which took the game into extra time. With the tired body and mind, very few chances were created during the 30 minutes of extra time.

Indonesia had the best chance to finish the game in the 111th minute when Ramadhan Sananta faced keeper Van Chuan, who blocked the shot with his leg.

The score remained 0-0 after 120 minutes and the penalty shootout came. All players were successful on the spot, except for keeper Ari, whose shot was blocked by Van Chuan, then Thai Ba Dat delivered the finishing blow with an accurate penalty to bring Vietnam the title.

This is Vietnam’s second consecutive AFF U23 Championship title, after winning last year.

Vietnamese players throw coach Hoang Anh Tuan in the air to celebrate their victory. Photo by Lam Thoa

In another match earlier on Saturday, Thailand won the championship's bronze medal after beating Malaysia, also on penalty shootout.