Vietnam advance to semi-finals after narrow win over Thailand

Updated: 08:47, 23/02/2022

Vietnam stormed into the semi-final round of the 2022 ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) U-23 Championship after cruising past Thailand with a solitary goal in their last group match at Prince Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia on Tuesday night (Feb 22).

•Vietnam drawn in same group with regional rivals Thailand, Malaysia at AFC U23 Asian Cup

•AFF U23 Championship 2022 slated for February

•Vietnam beat Myanmar 1-0 to qualify for U23 Asian Cup 2022 Finals

Trung Thanh scored the only goal of the clash in the first half to help coach Dinh The Nam’s side win Group C with six points, three above Thailand who also advanced as the best second-placed team.

Vietnamese players celebrate after Trung Thanh opens the scoring.

Thailand produced the first threat after only seven minutes with Niphitphon firing a close-range shot on target which was comfortably stopped by goalkeeper Trinh Xuan Hoang.

Vietnam retaliated 14 minutes later as Tran Bao Toan handled the ball neatly and drove a powerful long-range strike shot, forcing goalie Narongsak to parry the ball over the bar.

Dinh The Nam’s troops waited just eight more minutes to celebrate their opening goal, with Trung Thanh brilliantly beating the Thai goalkeeper from a freekick situation to hand Vietnam a 1-0 lead into halftime.

The second half saw Thailand push hard for an equaliser, but they faced numerous difficulties in approaching the Vietnamese penalty area.

Thailand moved close to equalising in the 83rd minute as the ball found Khamyok in front of the goal; however, keeper Trinh Xuan Hoang showed amazing reflexes by denying the Thai player’s close-range shot to safeguard the advantage for Vietnam.

Vietnam will compete against Group A winners Timor Leste in the semifinals, while the other last-four match will be between Group B winners Laos and Thailand, both on February 24.

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