Vietnam Futsal Team hold powerful Russia to a draw in Continental tournament
The Vietnam futsal team made an impressive start to the 2026 Continental Futsal Championship Invitational in Thailand, holding Russia to an exciting 2-2 draw after a thrilling end-to-end contest at Nonthaburi Stadium.
Facing a vastly superior opponent on paper, head coach Diego Raul Giustozzi’s players showed confidence from the outset, playing proactively and matching Russia stride for stride throughout the opening half. Nevertheless, the Russian side demonstrated their clinical finishing in the 10th minute when Andrey Pavlov capped off a swift attacking move with a precise finish to give the European powerhouse a 1-0 lead.
Undeterred by the setback, Vietnam maintained their disciplined approach and patiently waited for opportunities. Their persistence paid off in the 24th minute when Nhan Gia Hưng cleverly took a quick free-kick, allowing Nguyễn Thịnh Phát to unleash a superb volley that levelled the score at 1-1.
Buoyed by the equaliser, Vietnam continued to surprise their highly-rated opponents. In the 26th minute, a well-worked attacking move culminated in Trần Thái Huy racing onto the ball and finishing clinically to put Vietnam ahead 2-1.
However, the lead lasted only a few minutes. In the 27th minute, Aleksandr Pirogov capitalised on an opportunity to restore parity for Russia, making it 2-2.
The closing stages were played at a frantic pace as both teams pushed for a winning goal. Vietnam deployed the power-play tactic and created a series of dangerous chances. Nguyễn Thịnh Phát had three promising opportunities but was unable to find the net. The closest Vietnam came to snatching victory arrived in the final minute when Nhan Gia Hưng unleashed a powerful effort that took a deflection off Thịnh Phát before striking the post and bouncing away, leaving the Vietnamese players to rue a golden opportunity.
On the other hand, Russia also threatened on several occasions, with one effort striking the Vietnamese goalpost.
The match ultimately finished in an entertaining 2-2 draw, showcasing a high level of quality and intensity from both sides. The result marked a positive start for Vietnam at the 2026 Continental Futsal Championship Invitational in Thailand.
Vietnam will return to action in their second fixture against New Zealand at 18:00 (local time) on 2 August at Nonthaburi Stadium, Thailand.
