Round 2 – Group F: Philippines 0-2 Vietnam
Manila: Vietnam defeated the Philippines 2-0 in Group F of the Preliminary Joint Qualification – Round 2 for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027™ on Thursday.
17/11/2023 09:42:55
After a tense opening 10 minutes, the Philippines had the first look on goal following a quick counter-attacking move with Mike and his brother Manuel Ott exchanging passes just above the box before laying the path for Jose Porteria, whose tame effort was easily saved by Vietnam keeper Dang Van Lam.
Two minutes later, the home side were denied a goal after Mike Ott played a clever ball in for a lurking Patrick Reichelt, who volleyed past a diving Dang Van Lam but his effort was waved off by referee Rustam Lutfullin following Reichelt’s foul on Nguyen Thanh Binh.
Vu Van Thanh saw his in-swinging corner palmed away by keeper Neil Etheridge in the 15th minute but Vietnam were ahead a minute later when Nguyen Van Toan combined well with Nguyen Tien Linh before striking the ball home.
Vietnam almost doubled their lead in the 26th minute when Vo Minh Trong burst down the left flank before cutting back for Nguyen Van Toan, who set up Pham Tuan Hai nicely at the top of the box, only for the forward to blast his effort over the bar.
Philippe Troussier’s side squandered another chance to extend their lead just after the half-hour mark with Nguyen Van Toan sending his effort over the bar off Phan Tuan Tai’s cut-back from the left flank.
The Philippines almost found a way through in the 48th minute when Mikel Bass cut through the right flank in transition before sending a well-timed pass to Reichelt, who was edged out by a battling Nguyen Thanh Binh inside the six-yard-box.
The Azkals tried their best to get back on level terms with Mike Ott testing Dang Van Lam from distance, sending his shot over the bar in the 50th minute, while Vietnam toiled at the other end moments later with Pham Tuan Hai forcing Etheridge into a save moments later.
Vietnam continued to pile on the pressure and came close just after the hour mark with Ho Van Cuong starting the move from the middle together with Nguyen Van Toan before setting up Pham Tuan Hai, who struck straight into the arm of Etheridge.
The Philippines wasted a late effort to level the tie when substitute Stephan Schrock blasted his free-kick into the wall in the 84th minute.
It proved to be costly as substitute Nguyen Dình Bac showed his class when he beat his marker before striking past Etheridge from the top of the box in the fourth minute of added time to cap the win for Vietnam.
Source: AFC
