Vietnam left it late to beat a valiant Kyrgyz Republic 2-1 for their second win in Group A of the AFC U23 Asian Cup last night in Saudi Arabia.
The victory means 2018 runners-up Vietnam – who moved up to six points – are in pole position to advance to the quarter-finals after Jordan defeated Saudi Arabia 3-2 in the later match. Vietnam will meet the hosts in their concluding group tie on Monday.
Kyrgyz Republic went into aggressive mode from the opening whistle, keeping Vietnam on the back foot with two penalty appeals for challenges on Kimi Merk and Beknaz Almazbekov waved away by referee Payam Heidari.
Vietnam overcame their early jitters and began to impose their game on Kyrgyz Republic, culminating in a 19th minute opener when Khuat Van Khang converted his spot-kick after Bakytbek Mirzalim Uluu was penalised for a heavy challenge on Nguyen Le Phat.
The goal opened the game up with chances coming at both ends but efforts from Marlen Murzakhmatov, Yryskeldi Madanov and Nguyen Xuan Bac lacked the accuracy to trouble either goalkeeper.
Krygyz Republic, however, drew level in stunning fashion when Murzakhmatov was allowed too much time and space as he surged forward unchallenged in the 44th minute before rifling an unstoppable shot past Tran Trung Kien.
The opening period of the second half was a more tense affair and with neither side able to impose themselves, Edmar Lacerda and Kim Sang-sik looked towards their respective benches for reinforcements just after the hour mark.
Lacerda sent on Erbol Abduzhaparov and Nurbol Baktybekov while Kim made a triple change, with Nguyen Dinh Bac, Nguyen Thai Quoc Cuong and Le Van Thuan freshening up the attack.
The changes paid off for Vietnam in the 87th minute when Van Thuan’s diving header bounced off the unlucky Khristiian Brauzman to land in the net to seal a second successive win for the Southeast Asian side.
Meanwhile victory over the hosts, moved Jordan level on three points with Saudi Arabia. Jordan will meet Kyrgyz Republic on Monday, with Saudi Arabia taking on Vietnam.
After a slow start, Saudi Arabia almost broke through in the 17th minute when captain Musab Al Juwayr floated the ball into the box for Abdulaziz Al Elewai who, however, angled his shot across the face of the Jordanian goalmouth.
Al Juwayr was proving to be a menace down the left, forcing the Jordan defence to repel his acrobatic effort in the 18th minute before Faris Al Ghamdi set the move in motion for the opener seconds later, feeding the Al Juwayr who crossed the ball to Rakan Al Ghamdi for a simple finish past a rooted Abdel Rahman Al Talalga.
Jordan refused to concede defeat and forced Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Hamed Al Shanqiti into making a low save to deny Odeh Fakhoury at the half-hour mark before the forward saw his shot off a counter-attacking move deflected by the custodian.
Jordan’s positive approach paid off in the 38th minute when a lapse in concentration allowed Mohammad Taha to break through on the left and lay the ball off for Ali Al Azaizeh, who finished with aplomb.
Al Azaizeh stunned Saudi Arabia by doubling his tally in the first minute of added time, latching onto a poor clearance from Sulaiman Hazazi before unleashing a stunning volley past a fully stretched Al Shanqiti.
Jordan could have gone even further ahead before the break when Fakhoury – with only Al Shanqiti to beat- struck the ball onto the custodian’s body with Moamen Al Sakhet then hitting the rebound over the bar.
Saudi Arabia thought they had levelled the score in the 49th minute after Al Juwayr scored a stunning curling effort past Al Talalga but the goal was overturned by a VAR review as Al Elewai was caught offside.
The 2022 champions continued to press and drew level from the penalty spot on the hour mark after a VAR review concluded Yousef Qashi had fouled Faisal Al Subiani, with Al Elewai converting.
Jordan, however, amazingly retook the lead in the 73rd minute after Al Shanqiti spilled Al Azaizeh’s shot into the path of Mohammad Taha, whose cutback found Mahmoud Khrouba who unleashed a powerful strike which deflected off Abdulrahman Al Obaid and settled in the back of the net.
Saudi Arabia thought they had earned another penalty in the 76th minute after substitute Majed Abdullah was initially deemed to have fouled Khrouba but the decision was overturned following another VAR review as Jordan held on for the win.
