Vietnam fall short at Asian Cup quarter

All in: Vietnam vs Japan in the AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019 quarter-final tonight. Vietnam lost to Japan 0-1.-VNA/VNS Photo

Thanks to Video Assistance Referee (VAR) technology, being deployed for the first ever time at the Cup, Vietnam avoided going behind in the first half, but conceded a penalty from the same technology in the second half that proved decisive.

This was the second meeting between Vietnam and Japan in the Asian Cup, Japan winning their first clash in the 2007 group stages, coming from 1-0 down to win 4-1. Vietnam’s only previous venture into the quarter-final stage came in 2007, losing 2-0 to eventual winners Iraq.

Vietnam played with confidence in the opening exchanges, and Nguyen Trong Hoang had a left-footed shot from the right side of the box blocked.

Vietnam had the first chance in the 14th minute, with striker Nguyen Cong Phuong beating several Japan players only to miscue his shot.

Just two minutes later, Nghe An-born striker Phượng was through on Japanese goalie Shuichi Gonda again but was flagged for offside.

From a corner from the left wing, midfielder and captain Maya Yoshida found the back of the Vietnam net in the 24th minute but his goal was disallowed after the referee consulted VAR and decided the ball had gone in off his hand.

Vietnam fought back strongly, and Phuong’s shot from the left sailed high and wide to the right.

Gaku Shibasaki proved a constant threat, but his pass to Takehiro Tomiyasu failed to threaten Vietnamese goalkeeper Dang Van Lam, who was born in Moscow to a Vietnamese father and a Russian mother.

As the game went from end to end, midfielder Phan Van Duc had a shot saved by Gonda in the bottom left corner, and he went even closer following a mix up between Yoshida and Gonda but failed to capitalise

As the first half was drawing to a close, Lam made an important save to keep Takumi Minamino’s shot out.

After the break, the Samurai Blues went in search of the opener, and Wataru Endo’s long shot came close, only for Lam to produce another superb save.

Midfielder Bui Tien Dung then fouled Ritsu Doan in the penalty area, and after the referee checked VAR a penalty was awarded to Japan.

Having taken the lead, Japan dominated with possession of 74 per cent, forcing Lâm into a series of saves.

In the closing minutes, Vietnam stepped up their game in search of an equaliser but were unable to unlock the Japan defence.

Vietnam squeezed into the knockout stages as the third-placed team in Group D, and confounded pre-match predictions to beat Jordan on penalties after a 1-1 draw in the round of 16. Group F winners Japan defeated Saudi Arabia 1-0 in the round of 16.

Vietnam’s run to the quarter-finals is the latest achievement in a whirlwind 12 months, which has included reaching the final of the AFC U-23 Championship, the semi-finals of the Asian Games and winning the AFF Championship.