AFC Futsal Asian Cup Group B: Thailand edge Vietnam to take top spot
Jakarta: Thailand defeated Vietnam 1-0 to secure top spot in Group B of the AFC Futsal Asian Cup Indonesia 2026™ on Saturday.
03/02/2026 16:24:05
The victory sealed a perfect group stage campaign for Thailand, who will face Iraq in the quarter-finals while Vietnam will meet Indonesia.
With qualification secured and both sides extremely familiar with each other, it was no surprise that the teams adopted a cautious approach at the start of this all-ASEAN affair.
Action picked up in the fifth minute from a Vietnam counter attack that saw Vu Ngoc Anh’s strike denied by Arun Senbat while at the other end, Pham Van Tu got his fingertips to a ferocious Itticha Praphaphan effort to tip the ball onto the post.
Dinh Cong Vien then sped past Chaowala Sriarwut towards Thailand’s goalmouth but could not lift his shot high enough over Arun while Muhammad Osamanmusa’s trickery opened a gap for him to fire a shot in the 10th minute that was blocked by Pham, with the rest of the first period devoid of thrilling action.
The game intensity went up several notches in the second half with Thailand going close in the 22nd minute from a corner delivery that found Amarin Akapan in the centre but Pham stood tall to block.
Osamanmusa’s uncharacteristic mistake to lose ball possession to Nguyen Da Hai deep inside Thailand’s half almost proved costly but the Vietnam attacker drove his shot wide despite not being put under pressure.
Arun’s rash challenge on Vu in the 28th minute gifted Vietnam a free-kick on the edge of the semi-circle, with Nhan Gia Hung’s precise shot finding a gap in a crowded area but was unlucky to see his effort bounced off the base of the goal post.
The frame of the goal also denied Thailand three minutes later after Osamanmusa dribbled away from Nhan with his curling effort hitting the bar before an unmarked Amarin sliced an attempt just over.
The deadlock was eventually broken with four minutes left to play as Panut Kittipanuwong threaded the ball to Krit Aransanyalak, who ghosted in behind Chau Doan Phat to fire home the winner.
Source: AFC
