Viet Nam News
HA NOI — Viet Nam are through to the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup after beating Jordan 4-2 in a penalty shootout at Al-Maktoum Stadium in Dubai, United Arab Emirates tonight.
The two teams were tied at 1-1 after extra time.
Viet Nam entered the game with confidence following their performance in qualifying.
There previous meetings with Jordan at the Asian Cup had both been in qualifying and ended in draws.
The first 10 minutes was a tight affair, and neither team threatened to score.
 |
| Viet Nam vs Joran in the knock out round of the AFC Asian Cup’s final in the United Arab Emirates tonight. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Linh |
The first breakthrough fell to Viet Nam thanks to good work on the left wing from midfielder Phan Van Duc, striker Nguyen Cong Phuong and midfielder Nguyen Quang Hai, but Duc was unable to latch on to Hai’s through ball.
Jordan responded after a careless pass from midfielder Nguyen Huy Hung, but Yousef Rawshdeh’s left-footed shot was unable to squirm past goalkeeper Dang Van Lam.
Several minutes later, the Vietnamese defence line was once again broken following an attack on the right, but Feras Shilbaya’s cross was fired over by Yasen Bakheet.
Jordan maintained their pressure and Mousa Suleiman was denied by Lam in the 26th minute.
Viet Nam fought back strongly with defender Doan Van Hau firing off a dangerous shot that goalkeeper Amer Shafi was equal to, and Phuong was unable to convert the rebound.
In the 39th minute, a freekick was awarded to Jordan on the left wing and Baha Abdel-Rahman slammed the ball high past Lam to claim the opener for Jordan.
Viet Nam had two long-range efforts to level before the half-time whistle, but were denied.
But it wasn’t long into the second half that Phuong scored a cracking volley to equalise for Viet Nam, the first goal Jordan had conceded at the Cup.
 |
| Striker Nguyen Cong Phuong (middle) celebrates his goal in the match between Viet Nam and Jordan in the knock out round of the AFC Asian Cup’s final in the United Arab Emirates tonight. — VNA/VNS Photo Hoang Linh |
Viet Nam had a chance to take the lead in the 58th minute, but defender Bui Tien Dung’s header hit the crossbar.
Viet Nam continued to dominate the game with possession of 60 per cent but were unable to convert their dominance.
Both coaches made changes in extra time, but neither side was able to break the deadlock.
Jordan have been eliminated in both of their Asian Cup knockout games, losing on penalties to Japan in 2004 and losing to Uzbekistan in 2011. Viet Nam have qualified for the Asian Cup knockout stages in each of their two appearances in the competition (2007 and 2019), with Iraq defeating them in the 2007 quarter-finals. — VNS