Vietnam Futsal Team extend unbeaten run with victory over Afghanistan at Continental Championship – Thailand 2026

Facing Afghanistan, who are one place above Vietnam in the FIFA futsal rankings (21st compared to 22nd), head coach Diego Raul Giustozzi’s side made a confident start, immediately pushing forward after kick-off. Their quick combinations created several dangerous opportunities, and Vietnam opened the scoring as early as the second minute. Following a well-organised attacking move, Nhan Gia Hưng finished clinically to put Vietnam 1-0 ahead.

The early goal lifted Vietnam’s confidence and made it difficult for Afghanistan to build their play. However, Afghanistan soon regained control and began applying sustained pressure on goalkeeper Hồ Văn Ý.

Amid the pressure, Vietnam’s defence remained focused, dealing with a number of dangerous attacks from the opposition. Goalkeeper Hồ Văn Ý, in particular, once again demonstrated his quality with several important saves to preserve Vietnam’s advantage.

The second half saw the match played at a high tempo, with both sides creating numerous chances. Vietnam continued to take the initiative and added a second goal to extend their lead to 2-0.

The closing stages were highly dramatic. In the 35th minute, Afghanistan were awarded a penalty and pulled a goal back to make it 1-2, putting significant pressure on Hồ Văn Ý’s goal. However, Giustozzi’s players remained composed and resilient, holding on to the 2-1 lead until the final whistle.

This was Vietnam’s second consecutive victory in the tournament, following a 4-1 win over New Zealand and a 2-2 draw against Russia in their opening match. With seven points from three matches, Vietnam remain unbeaten and head into their final group-stage encounter against hosts Thailand with renewed confidence.