Vietnam beat Australia in the opening match of U20 Asia

Vietnam entered the match behind Australia in the opening match of Group B U20 Asia. But Nguyen Quoc Viet's early goal helped Hoang Anh Tuan's students play proactively for the rest of the match. Defensively, Vietnam preserved the result and won the first three points against a strong opponent.

The only goal of the match was a beautiful long shot from Quoc Viet. From the counter-attack initiated by Khuat Van Khang, the HAGL striker took the ball and hit the ground in the near corner, knocking out goalkeeper Jack Warshawsky. Losing early, Australia pushed up the squad to find an equalizer. The Kangaroo team held the ball up to 67% of the first half, creating many turbulent phases from the two sides. But the horizontal stretch of full-back Joshua Rawlins was neutralized by Nguyen Hoang, and the close-range headers of striker Gabriel Popovic could not defeat goalkeeper Cao Van Binh.

Vietnam also had the opportunity to score more in the first half, when Thanh Nhan's close header made it difficult for the Australian goalkeeper to save. In the second half, the game was even more beneficial for Vietnam, when Hoang Anh Tuan's students did not appear to be physically inferior to the opponent. Holding the ball less, but Vietnam contested well, keeping a tight line-up, making Australia rarely put the ball into the penalty area.

While Australia only finished once in the last 45 minutes, Vietnam created many dangerous counter-attacks. In turn, Nguyen Thanh Nhan and Bui Vi Hao faced the Australian goalkeeper. but the shot misses the post. In terms of the number of shots, Vietnam is even more than the opponent.

Australia's short ball coordination lacks cohesion, leading to difficulty when falling into a chasing position. At the end of the game, the Kangaroo team was impatient, constantly failing or making mistakes. Vietnam was therefore not under much pressure, preserving the victory. The first three points help Vietnam take advantage in the competition for tickets to continue in the group that also includes Qatar and Iran. If Vietnam wins tickets to the quarterfinals and continues to win in the round of eight strongest teams, Vietnam will be able to attend the U20 World Cup - the tournament taking place in May 2023.