International Futsal Friendly: Vietnam and Kazakhstan drew in the Second Leg

In this match, head coach Diego Giustozzi gave young players the opportunity to prove themselves by starting young goalkeeper Văn Lương for the first time, replacing the two experienced keepers Hồ Văn Ý and Nguyễn Văn Tú. Additionally, a lineup featuring three out of four less experienced players — Lâm Tới, Công Viên, and Công Đại — was tested alongside veteran Minh Quang.

Meanwhile, Kazakhstan entered the match with strong determination to avenge their loss in the first leg. Facing a Vietnamese lineup with many changes, the visitors quickly took control and applied significant pressure. Nevertheless, young goalkeeper Văn Lương put on a commendable performance, making two impressive saves in the first 10 minutes of the game.

In the 7th minute, Văn Lương denied a dangerous shot from Kaibay Damir. Three minutes later, he closed down the angle well to block a tight-angle effort from Abdumanapuly. However, from the resulting corner, Sagyndyrov unexpectedly opened the scoring for Kazakhstan with a direct shot. By the 12th minute, the visitors doubled their lead with a quick counterattack, finished by a diagonal strike from Pialy.

In response to the defensive instability, coach Giustozzi brought on Văn Tú and made tactical adjustments. The changes quickly proved effective, as the home team played with greater solidity, successfully shutting down Kazakhstan’s attacks — even when goalkeeper Higuita joined the offensive plays.

In the 16th minute, following a successful defensive effort against a corner kick, the Vietnam futsal team launched a sharp counterattack. Công Viên sprinted from midfield, faced goalkeeper Higuita one-on-one, and finished smartly through his legs to narrow the score to 1-2.

In the second half, Vietnam came out with high energy and quickly found the equalizer. In the 23rd minute, after a well-executed sideline play, Thịnh Phát flicked the ball with his heel to Mạnh Dũng, who finished from close range to level the score at 2-2.

With their spirits lifted after the equalizer, the home team continued to apply pressure. In the 25th minute, Thịnh Phát had two consecutive shots but couldn’t convert. Just a minute later, Gia Hưng’s strike hit the crossbar, narrowly missing the chance to take the lead. Despite both sides creating more opportunities, neither managed to score again.

In the end, the second leg of the international friendly between Vietnam and Kazakhstan ended in a 2-2 draw. The aggregate score over the two matches was 6-3 in favor of Vietnam.

This match also concluded Vietnam’s four-match friendly series in April 2025 — valuable tests for coach Diego Giustozzi and his squad as they prepare for the 2025 AFC Futsal Asian Cup qualifiers and the 33rd SEA Games.